In a Heartbeat
by C-chan96
Summary: When an old friend of Ephram's comes to Everwood, Amy Abbott finds out what it's like to be on the other end of the longing. *Chapter 9 Uploaded*
1. She Arrives DUN DUN DUN!

Disclaimer- I don't own Everwood or any of its original characters but I do own Dicey, Jake, Krista, and Rika.have a nice day.  
  
-Chapter 1-  
  
A boy, around sixteen, sat on his front porch, staring out into the streets of Everwood, Colorado. His hair died purple and his light blue eyes staring off into space, Ephram Brown watched people walk around the small town.  
  
"EPHRAM! Come in here for a minute! Don't you realize you are 10 MINUTES LATE FOR SCHOOL ALREADY?!" a man yelled from inside the house.  
  
Ephram sighed and rolled his eyes before standing up and walking into his house. His younger ten-year-old sister, Delia, sat at the breakfast table quickly eating her breakfast.  
  
"Ephram, you've been out there for a long time! Now you're late! Now get your things and go to school!" his father, Dr. Andrew Brown, shouted to his son.  
  
"Geez dad, chill! Like they'll ever know I'm gone anyway." Ephram mumbled as he got his backpack and ran out the door before his father could contribute anything more to their little 'chat'.  
  
"Hey, want me to drive you to school?" Dr. Brown yelled after Ephram.  
  
"No, I'll run." Ephram said, running to the prison they like to call school. Everwood High.sounds fun, huh?  
  
He arrived 10 minutes later. He decided if he was going to be late, why waste his breath anyway?  
  
He dropped his stuff off, got a pass to class and strolled into his first period Biology class.  
  
The teacher said something to him and people snickered at him but he wasn't listening. No one in this God-forsaken town liked him anyway.  
  
Ephram sat down at his desk, put on his headphones and did what he did everyday.pretend he was paying attention.  
  
"Thank you for joining us Mr. Brown. Now, as I was saying before our good friend Ephram made his grand entrance, we have a new student. Perhaps you might know her Ephram. Considering she also is from New York." The teacher said.  
  
"New York is a big state you know." Ephram said with a glare, not even trying to be polite or nice to the teacher.he was already having a rotten day.  
  
"Well, excuse me then Mr. Brown. Dicey Johnson, would you please come in.?" the teacher said to a girl that had been standing in the doorway.  
  
Ephram head shot up at the name. No, it couldn't be.could it?  
  
A slim girl walked in. She had short, light, feathery brown hair that went almost to her shoulders. She had dark, piercing green eyes and thick lashes. Her face was thin and her outfit concealed her long legs. She wore baggy black jeans and a tight black tee shirt that said 'If you can read this, you are too close'.  
  
She smiled at the shocked face of her long-lost friend.  
  
"You may choose your seat Miss Johnson." Said the Bio teacher, Mr. Smith.  
  
She nodded and sat next to Ephram. Just as Mr. Smith turned around, Dicey leaned over and gave Ephram a hug.  
  
"Ephram! Long time no see, huh? I was beginning to wonder if I got the right Everwood, Colorado." Dicey said in a whisper. The rest of the class was in a dazed and confused state of shock.few people bothered to talk to him, he was the freak...the new guy.  
  
"We can talk after class, okay Dice? Besides, I have some catching up to do on my passing away my times of boredom." Ephram said, one of his rare smiles making an appearance.  
  
"Can I listen too?" she asked.  
  
"Maybe later, it's your first day. I doubt you want the teachers to hate you as much as they hate me." Ephram commented to his friend.  
  
"Now Ephram, don't go thinking that I care what these teachers think of me. I am me, and that's that, okay? But I guess I can wait till lunch." She said.  
  
"Okay then, see you after class then." Ephram said as he slipped his booming headphones back on, which may some day lead to the need of hearing impairment.  
  
Dicey busied herself with various things from doodling to actually paying attention. Then she tried to make conversation with her surrounding peers but they were soon busted. So she settled for a nice nap.  
  
About an hour or so later, she awoke at the sound of the bell. Ephram took off his headphones and the two walked out into the hall. On the way to the next class, they ran into Amy Abbott.  
  
"Hi Ephram." Amy said, flashing a smile. "Who's the girl?"  
  
"Hey Amy, this is Dicey." Ephram said, motioning to the girl.  
  
Amy flickered her long, straight blonde hair and smiled. "Oh, that's nice. Is she new too?"  
  
"Um, yeah. I can fill you in at lunch. See ya." Ephram said, rushing himself and Dicey to the next class.  
  
"Who was that girl?" Dicey asked.  
  
"Oh, that's Amy Abbott. Her dad is the other doctor in this town and despises my dad.or so he says.well, anyway, she's in hopes that my dad will cure her comatose boyfriend for her.yeah, that's about it. Oh, and her brother, Bright, is my worst enemy.that too.but she's the only one in this whole school who talks to me." Ephram explained.  
  
"Ah.that's nice Ephy." She replied as they went and somehow survived yet another class period.this time in separate classes.  
  
They met up for lunch and found a nice, shady spot by a tree. But before she could reach Ephram, a muscular guy walked up and put his hand on her thin shoulder.  
  
"Hey babe, you new? Want to sit with me and my friends?" he said, attempting to flirt with the uninterested girl.  
  
"No thanks, I already have plans." She said with a scowl as she acknowledged him.he was a jock.joy, joy!  
  
"Like what babe?" he asked, his sandy blonde hair shining like in the movies.  
  
"Like sitting with my friend.a person with a life. Now if you'll excuse me." she said, turning away from him and continuing her walk to Ephram.  
  
He grabbed her hand. "Hey, I was still talking to you! Who's your friend?" the guy asked harshly, his eyes burning.  
  
"That's none of your business." She said, trying to pull away.  
  
"It is now." He said turning her around to face him and lean in towards her face.  
  
Struggling to get away, she turned to Ephram for help. Meeting eyes with her, he stood up and walked over.  
  
"Ephram, get this dude off me." She whispered angrily to him.  
  
"Will do." He answered walking over to the scene.  
  
"Would you mind letting her go so we can eat? Lunch isn't very long anyway." He said with a scowl.  
  
"Hey Brown, what are you doing with a hot chick like this? Don't you have some plans of suicide you should be contemplating?" the guy asked Ephram.  
  
"Nope, already done that. I need a break every now and then you know." He said smirking, not losing his temper.we all know what happened when he loses his temper.  
  
"Yeah, now I want some lunch so if you would SO KINDLY let go of my arm, I'll be going now." Dicey said, trying to pull away again.  
  
"I don't think so chica, you're coming with me." He said with a smirk and a tug on her arm.  
  
Just as Ephram was about to beat the living crud out of him for harassing his best friend, Dicey turned around and kicked him where the sun don't shine.  
  
"YOW!!!" he yelped as he knelt down on the ground. Everyone around broke into hysterical laughter.the team captain of the football team bested by a girl.  
  
Dicey smirked proudly at Ephram as the two made their way back to their lovely spot by the tree.  
  
"Nice hit.but that had to hurt.he's gonna feel that one in the morning." Ephram said, making a pained face.  
  
"Yeah, at least he won't be following me around anymore." She replied happily.  
  
"Unless he's as stupid as the say.typical jock.he isn't exactly known for his brains.more like lack there-of.none of the football team really is.it's a real honor to beat them up in front of everyone and live to tell the story." Ephram complimented.  
  
She took a bow and he started laughing. She grinned as they started eating.  
  
"But you do know I wouldn't beat him up any day of the week had you not gotten him first." Ephram said grinning.  
  
"Of course you would dear Ephram.you'll get your chance." She said smiling. He laughed again and they started eating.  
  
Ephram decided to start up another conversation.besides, he had been itching to ask this question since she had shown up.  
  
"So, Dice, what are you doing here?" Ephram asked, as if he had been holding it in forever.despite the fact that he had been all day.  
  
"Well Eph, we were all sitting around at school and we decided hey, we missed you! Especially me Ephram. I've missed you so much.I still can't believe Dr. B dragged you all the way out here.to Colorado.gosh.so, you made any friends yet?" Dicey stated.  
  
"Umm.no.I haven't. To these people, I'm the 'hard-rockin', piano- playin', rebellious, purple-haired outcast'.lovely huh? Notice the deep respect the your 'attacker' used with me. To be blunt, they don't find me worthy of breathing their precious air.nice people, aren't they?" Ephram said, once again smiling. Dicey grinned at him. Gosh how she had missed him.  
  
Just then Amy walked up. She was kind of shocked. Ephram Brown had smiled FIVE TIMES in the SAME DAY! The world must be ending.Ephram NEVER smiled.ever.for anything.  
  
"Hey guys." she said, breaking the smiles to look at her.  
  
"Hey Amy, 'sup?" Ephram said while Dicey nodded.  
  
"Nothing much.can I sit with you two?" she asked, almost afraid of the response.  
  
"Sure, I guess.but why aren't you sitting with you 'friends'?" Ephram asked, putting sarcastic emphasis on the word 'friends'.  
  
"Um, I wanted to learn more about Dicey and.well.I guess I just wanted to." She said, trying not to be offended by the boy's remark.  
  
"Okay.that's good enough.sit down then." Ephram said, satisfied with her answer, moving over a bit to give Amy a place to sit.  
  
"Okay, Dicey, want me to explain or do you want to?" Ephram asked the brunette who sat by him.  
  
"You can Eph." She said with a small smile.  
  
"Okay then, Dicey is a good friend of mine from New York. We had a tight group of about four of five people. They were my close friends and the worst part of leaving New York. Sure I'll miss everything about it, but I missed them the most. There's Dicey, Jake, Rika, and Krista. So it seems Dicey just got up and left, coming here, right Dice?" he explained.  
  
"Yep, my parents think I'm taking you to a counseling session on suicide." She said with a giggle.  
  
He grinned.for the SIXTH TIME!!! *gasp* "What did I do this time Dice? Slit my wrists? OD medicine? Jump of the big mountain in the background? Try and eat my dad's cooking?" Ephram asked with humor.  
  
She started laughing. "I couldn't say cutting yourself because she would ask for scars. No mountain or cooking because she would know I was joking. So I went OD." Dicey explained.  
  
"Ah, but the cooking one is true.it's so true it scares me." Ephram said in a serious tone.  
  
"Eph, that's mean! Your dad isn't THAT bad of a cook! Give'm a break!" Dicey said, defending the great Dr. Brown.  
  
"Huh?" Amy said with confusion.  
  
"Oh, I tease Eph about suicide because he's always acting so miserable and depressed.it's a joke.isn't it Ephram?" Dicey explained.  
  
"Yes.it's terribly funny to see her reaction.she flips out.it's hilarious." Ephram said as he made history and laughed a seventh time.the guy's on a roll!  
  
"I bet.I mean, if she thinks you're suicidal, she's gonna freak." Amy added, contributing to the conversation.  
  
"Yeah, I guess, but she doesn't have anything to worry about.there's a very slim chance I'll be committing suicide anytime soon." Ephram said.  
  
"Anytime soon?" Amy asked, shocked at the wording.  
  
He cracked a grin. "Of course not, I have to find a good reason first.THEN I can kill myself."  
  
She looked petrified.  
  
"I'm just kidding, Ames, chill! I won't go and kill myself.as if you care that much anyway." He said, returning to the Ephram Brown she knew.  
  
Before she could say anything else, she was called over to her normal table and excused herself.  
  
"I think ya scared her a bit Ephy." Dicey said, holding laughter.  
  
"No joke.but I really don't think she cares that much.she has better things to do than care about people who aren't 'cool'. Things like drive to Denver and sit by the bedside of her boyfriend in a coma. Not that I'm saying she shouldn't, she's just much too busy." Ephram said, starting to eat his lunch.  
  
"Ah.okay." Dicey said, dropping the subject and joined him in eating her lunch.  
  
  
  
Okay, that's it for chapter one.is it good? Should I continue? Ephram's eyes are blue, aren't they? Anyway.please review! I need morale support or I won't think it's good.and then I would be heartbroken.*makes sad face* so please review! Leave your email address in the review if you would like to be notified about updates. If you want to email me, my email address is lil_ricecake@princess-chelsea.com. Have a nice day! Toodles! ^_~  
  
PS- I'm sorry about the jock thing.I doubt any of you are jocks or anything but I dunno.I don't mean anything in this fic as an insult so yeah.I just had to get that out. 


	2. A Walk in the Park and Headaching Though...

Thank you Ditey, you don't know how good it made me feel to have SOMEONE like it...My DEAR SWEET anonymous reviewer didn't think it was good though...and to you, DEAR SWEET ANONYMOUS REVIEWER *cough* I have a question if you're even reading this 'piece of crud' as you say...actually, you said something else but since I'm not a swearing type of person, I can't repeat what you said. Why did you read it if you don't like stories where a friend of Ephram comes? I'm sorry you didn't like it but there's nothing I can do about it and I won't let you bring me down. I don't mind constructive criticism but when you just insult someone and don't even leave a name, that isn't right and it's extremely immature. And from the wise words of past peoples and stuff "If you can't say something nice, don't say nothing at all." That doesn't include constructive criticism though...so thank you Ditey. You're the best! I appreciate it. And don't worry, I don't stare incessantly whenever he appears onto the screen in all his gorgeous glory either...*cough* so MAYBE I do...o.O ......Sorry for the delay peeps, without further ado, onto chapter 2! Ooo...that rhymed...^_^ And thank you Liz, I don't know what I would do without you big sis! ^_~  
  
Disclaimer- I still don't own Everwood...despite the fact I wish I did...that would be cool...very cool...  
  
-Chapter 2-  
  
Packing up his lunch, Ephram stood up. Looking down at the girl beside him, he motioned her to follow him. She smiled at him, she sensed what was going to happen...and she was thrilled...  
  
Walking to the trashcan, the two tossed the remains of their lunches and walked off campus, not slightly worried about what people thought...what the teachers would do.  
  
"C'mon Dice, I'll show you around town...I'm sure you're not afraid to skip." Ephram said, in almost a challenging tone.  
  
She smirked. "Bring it on Brown."  
  
Smirking back, he said, "Okay then Johnson, anywhere but the clinic and stick to the alleys." He said mockingly.  
  
"Okay fearless leader...where to first?" Dicey asked mockingly, looping arms with Ephram.  
  
"To the...ummmmm..uhhh...lemme see..got any ideas?" Ephram said, pausing and taking on a blank expression.  
  
She unlooped her arm and walked in front of him, having to look up because he was taller, and said flirtatiously, "What Ephy? Have you not thought of our plan of rebellion through quite yet?"  
  
"Um uh... a-actually, no." he stuttered, smiling.  
  
"Why not?" she asked.  
  
"Well, because now that I think of it, everyone is this town knows who I am and knows my dad...heh." He said, grinning.  
  
"Indeed...well, all the more reason to have a little fun, hm?" she said smiling and dragged him along to a random store.  
  
"Easy for you to say...no one knows you yet..hey, why are we entering a convenient store?" Ephram asked.  
  
"Buying a coke, what else?" she asked, leaving Ephram confused. He shrugged it off.  
  
"Hey Ephram. Who's your friend? And shouldn't you be in school?" the old man asked.  
  
"This is Dicey and it's our lunch break." He said honestly...because it STILL WAS their lunchtime...  
  
"Oh, hello Miss Dicey. It's good to know Ephram is making friends. Dr. Brown was getting kind of worried about him. Are you new to Everwood?" the man asked.  
  
"Actually, I am. I'm also from New York. Me and Ephram were close friends back in NY so I decided to come visit for awhile because I missed him and Dr. B." Dicey said, smiling.  
  
"Oh, that's nice. Welcome to Everwood Dicey. Would you two like anything?" he asked the two teens.  
  
"Yes, two cokes please." Ephram said; Dicey nodded in affirmation.  
  
"Okay...and Ephram, say hello to your father for me." He said, handing them their cokes and accepting the pay.  
  
"Will do. Bye!" Ephram said as they left the small building.  
  
"You had to choose THAT one of them all..." Ephram said jokingly.  
  
"Yes." She said grinning.  
  
"Okay then, let's go. I can show you around. Let's get going." He declared as he opened his coke and took a drink.  
  
"Aye aye." She said with a bright smile. She took a drink as well and the two were off.  
  
Meanwhile at a table of talking girls, Amy stared off into space. The bell rang and she stood up, looking around for Ephram. She was going to apologize for leaving them and ask about the suicide thing but she couldn't find him, or Dicey for that matter, anywhere! They were just...gone.  
  
Shrugging it off, she decided she would ask them once she got to next period. She walked with her chattering friends and spaced off again. They asked her if she was thinking about Colin again. Not wanting them to question, she just nodded. Everyone figured that's what she was doing, so since she didn't want to talk to anyone but Ephram right now, she just went along with it.  
  
She was kind of scared, she was more and more attracted to the outcast everyday and she was less and less excited about seeing Colin everyday. She had even felt a tinge of jealousy at Dicey's arrival...what's was happening to her? She couldn't like Ephram Brown...could she? No! She loved Colin...she had to...you don't just fall out of love...or do you? All this thinking was hurting Amy's head so as she walked into her 3rd period class, she asked for a pass to the nurse's office.  
  
"Sure Amy...have you seen Ephram or that new girl, Dicey? They aren't here but their teachers said they were here this morning." The third period teacher, Mrs. Tillerman asked the blonde.  
  
"No ma'am...in fact, I was looking for them earlier...it seemed like they just disappeared.." she answered in a dazed tone.  
  
"Oh, well thank you Miss Abbott. Go on to the nurse." Mrs. Tillerman said as Amy left to go to the nurse's office.  
  
She sullenly walked to the nurse's office and gave her the pass. The nurse nodded and let Amy sit down for a minute, to allow the girl to rest.  
  
Amy entered her little world again and slowly, her mind drifted back to Ephram. He was so sensitive...the only one who stuck by her side..he came to the hospital with her...he asked his dad to try to heal Colin...he..he came to her recital...he wrote a song for her..not even Colin had done that...wait, it's unfair to compare them! Colin is special in his own way! Sure he's different, but different is good. Ephram different. Why does she keep thinking of Ephram? Oh yeah, she likes Ephram.NO! She's likes Colin..but Ephram's so nice...a little on the quiet-give-me-my-space side, but still sweet...Gosh, he has pretty eyes...  
  
As soon as she realized where her train of thought was leading, her face flushed and she turned several shades of red. The nurse looked worried and took her temperature. Considering the blood-rush to her head, her forehead was burning. The nurse sent her home and Amy left for her house.it was pretty close anyway. The nurse tried to call her dad to pick her up but she insisted she could walk home all right.  
  
She passed by a park and thought she saw something. She stopped to take a better look. She was right...there was Ephram...and her...Dicey...just seeing them made her blood boil. It shocked her. She really WAS jealous of Dicey...for being able to stand so close to Ephram without him thinking she was using him to get her boyfriend back...or perhaps all this time Ephram was her boyfriend...no, that couldn't be it...she decided she was blowing things out of proportion and was thinking to much.  
  
But she still felt a little depressed seeing him smile so much around her...not that he didn't have a great smile or anything.she just wished she could make him smile...wait...can't forget Colin! He's the most important thing to her! Gosh her head hurt..  
  
Ephram and Dicey walked. "This is the park if you hadn't gathered that yet." Ephram said.  
  
"Ah...that's for stating the obvious Mr. Brown. I would call you Dr. Brown but then you'd get mad at me." She said.  
  
"You know me well. Let's umm...go...there!" Ephram said, pointing in a random direction.  
  
"And where might that be?" she asked.  
  
"I haven't decided yet..." he admitted.  
  
"Ah...okay...that works." She said as they just started walking.  
  
She held his arm and a light smile spread across her face; her cheeks tinted a light pink.  
  
Ephram didn't seem to notice, he was too busy thinking of what he could do without a lecture on skipping school......and he thought of nothing.  
  
Not until this hit him did he notice the girl clinging to his arm as if every inch of her being depended on it.  
  
"Hey, Dice? You okay? You're turning a little red..." he said, grinning.  
  
She then noticed the looks and comment from Ephram, she let go and turned significantly brighter red.  
  
"Heh...so, where are we going?" she asked, shaking it off...  
  
He looked defeated. "Back to prison..." he furrowed his brows and kicked a rock.  
  
She giggled. "Has the great Ephram Brown run out of safe places to skip?" she teased.  
  
"Hey! That's not nice...this isn't a big town if you haven't noticed...EVERYONE knows EVERYONE ELSE'S DAD!!!" Ephram exclaimed.  
  
She laughed again as they trudged back to school, each thinking up an excuse for their absence.  
  
They arrived at the school, just in time for the local hall nazi to be watching the front door of the building.  
  
"And what, may I ask, are you two doing?" she asked...it was Officer Tran..  
  
"Well, Officer Tran, we were just..." Ephram said, fishing for a good excuse.  
  
"Skipping?" she finished with a hard glare.  
  
"Heh...well...ummm...we'll go STRAIGHT to class ma'am." Ephram said, all the excuses running together in his mind as Dicey suppressed a giggle.  
  
"Good answer Mr. Brown." She said, walking back to her place and continued to watch for more innocent...well...not-so innocent students who just HAPPEN to be skipping..  
  
The two quietly snuck through the halls and to their fourth period class.  
  
"Gosh, it's pretty sad when an expert like you ends up like this...can't even FIND a place to spend time with ME!" she said with mock-horror.  
  
"I know...I'm outta practice..." he said laughing.  
  
The two entered class and listened to a lecture, entering an occasional rolling of eyes and exasperated sigh.  
  
The two rebels sat down when the teacher finished lecturing.  
  
Ephram looked around and noticed something...Amy was gone!  
  
"Hey, Dicey! Amy not here." Ephram whispered to his friend.  
  
"I know..." she whispered back.  
  
"Should I ask?"  
  
"Sure."  
  
Ephram raised his hand and waited to be called on.  
  
"Yes Ephram." The teacher said, annoyed of him already.  
  
"Where's Amy?" he asked simply.  
  
"She got sick. She had to walk home." The teacher answered.  
  
Ephram made to "O" shape with his mouth and pulled out a manga. Ranma ½.  
  
"Wha'cha doing Eph?" Dicey asked.  
  
"Reading." He answered, never tearing his eyes away form the comic book.  
  
"Ah...okay." She said smiling. She was aware of her friend's interest in Anime and manga...she thought it was pretty cool.  
  
The bell rang for the end of the day and all the kids rushed out of the building like there was no tomorrow.  
  
"Wanna check up on Amy?" Ephram asked Dicey.  
  
She nodded. She could really care less about the girl but she didn't want to be alone in this town.as if it was big...she also wanted to spend time with Ephram....something she hadn't done in awhile...not including their daring little escapade earlier that day...that doesn't count...  
  
  
  
That's chapter two...fun stuff huh? Anyway...I know I may get things out of order but this isn't supposed to be like the show...I can never decide where exactly in the show it is so I may jump around...I'm really sorry if I do, it's just kinda the way I am...^_^ and it's not SUPPOSED to be like the show, right? Right...please R/R! I need input! 


	3. Yet Another Unexpected Guest

Ditey: Thanks for reviewing again!!!!! You're the bestest!! Thank you. ^_^ I know, how could she miss it? Lol...don't worry, I will! ^_~  
  
Liz: Liz, my wonderful "big sis" lol...love ya ta DEATH!! Or something like that...^_^ Thanks!!! *hugs* Yes, we can use our spur-of-the-moment ideas that were created late last night...lol...frightening...^_^ Thanks again...lol...and with Amy, she wasn't really sick, she just got a headache and her head was hot from the blood-rush to the head so they sent her home...lol...^_^ Things like that happen only in the world of Chelsea's mind...lol...^_^  
  
Disclaimer- Take a wild guess...  
  
-Chapter 3-  
  
The two walked slowly to the Abbott's home. They were laughing and enjoying each other's company. It had been so long since Ephram had seen her that he had forgotten what it's like to have someone to talk to whenever you want. But he hadn't forgotten her smile...it's impossible to.  
  
They had almost arrived at the Abbott home and Ephram glanced at the trees. It was becoming fall in Everwood. It was still a little warm but the leaves were turning shades of gold, red and orange. There were a few stray leaves that had already fallen and scattered in various patterns in the front yard.  
  
"Brrr..." Dicey muttered rubbing her hands on her arms to warm herself up.  
  
"Wimp..." he said with a grin.  
  
"Meanie." She said, pouting as she continued her futile attempt.  
  
"This is not cold Dicey Johnson!" Ephram said, laughing.  
  
"Maybe if you wore a warmer shirt you wouldn't be so cold." A voice from behind them said.  
  
They turned around...and it wasn't who they expected it to be...  
  
"Jake?" Ephram said, suppressing a grin.  
  
"Yep Moz, it's me! How ya been? You look surprised, did Dice not tell you I was coming?" Jake answered.  
  
"No...was she supposed to?" Ephram asked, shooting Dicey a glare.  
  
Dicey turned a little red. "Ehe...well...I uhh...maybe..." she stuttered when both boys were looking at her with looks that said 'you didn't say anything WHY?'  
  
"Why didn't you? I said right before you left 'MAKE SURE TO TELL EPHRAM I'M COMING!!!' and you said 'Okay Jake, I will...' and I said 'Are you sure you won't forget?' and you said 'Of COURSE I wont forget!' so I trusted you AND YOU FORGOT!!!" Jake retorted.  
  
"Sorry...I guess I...forgot? Heh, that's what you just said. I'm sorry okay, I got so wrapped up in enjoying the place that I couldn't remember that you were coming..." she said timidly, putting on her best puppy-dog face to soften the blow.  
  
"Why didn't you tell him when you first got here?" he asked.  
  
"Why is it such a big deal Jay? Chill out! He knows now...gosh..." Dicey muttered.  
  
Jus as Jake was about to reply Ephram cut in, "It's going to be okay Jake...she should've told me but I think we can get through this...should I be expecting any MORE visitors?" Ephram asked the two.  
  
They nodded their heads no.  
  
"Okay then, where are you two going to stay?" Ephram asked as the thought hit him.  
  
"With you of course ol' buddy ol' pal!" Jake said slinging an arm over Ephram's shoulder. He was quite a bit taller than Ephram.  
  
"Heh...me? I don't know if we have enough ROOM I mean, have you SEEN our house?" Ephram said sarcastically.  
  
"Yes we have and it's plenty big enough. We already planned everything out with your dad." Dicey said smiling sweetly.  
  
Ephram smacked his head. "And to think I'm the only person on this Earth who didn't know you two were coming..."  
  
"No, that chick who went home sick didn't." Dicey added.  
  
"Oh yeah, Amy! I totally forgot about her." Ephram said as he remembered...she was sick...they were seeing if she was okay...  
  
"It's okay, it's not like she dying or anything...she probably just has a cold from this weather." Dicey said wrapping her arms around herself again.  
  
"Again Dice, IT ISN'T COLD! It's just you..." Ephram said sighing.  
  
"Hey!" Dicey barked.  
  
"Hay is for horses Dicey. Are you a horse now? Horses don't get houses they get stables. Do you want a stable?" Ephram asked, knowing it would tick her off.  
  
"Arrggg...don't push your luck Brown." She growled angrily.  
  
"Yes ma'am..." Ephram said.  
  
When Dicey turned around, Ephram swat his hands like a cat and mouthed a cat hissing, 'merow pht pht!'.  
  
She turned around and he swiftly put his hands down and began looking around 'innocently'.  
  
She narrowed her eyes but turned back around.  
  
"Hey, shouldn't we be getting to Amy's?" Ephram finally asked.  
  
"Oh but Eph, I thought hay was for horses? Are you a horse now too?" she asked playfully.  
  
"Don't take my line!" he said back, pretending to pout.  
  
"Now, now children! Calm down! Eph, we probably shouldn't. It's getting dark now." Jake said laughing.  
  
Ephram looked at the horizon and noticed the sun was setting. It was beautiful. But he could never even hint to his dad that he liked it here because that would declare a victory for his father...and we wouldn't that, now would we?  
  
"I guess..." Ephram mumbled at they began their 'journey' back to Ephram's house.  
  
Ephram let his mind wander as they walked slowly back to his house. So they're staying with me, huh? And dad didn't even tell me...it could be worse...I don't know how, but it is possible...I'm sure of it...at least I get to see them again...I wonder where Rika and Krista are, are they not coming? Why am I being so narrow-minded...they still have lives, maybe their parents wouldn't let them...yeah...that must be it...  
  
As he continued his inward conversation, he felt a sharp pain go through his head as he backed up and fell to the ground, groaning.  
  
When he could finally open his eyes, about 2 minutes later, he was greeted with hysterical laughter.  
  
"HahahaHheheHEHEeee!!! Y-you okay Moz?" Jake said laughing, gripping his stomach as if he were in pain.  
  
"Yeah Eph, you a-alright?" Dicey asked in fits if giggles.  
  
"What's so funny you guys? Why does my head hurt? Why are you still laughing? What happened?" Ephram asked, massaging his pounding head.  
  
"Y-you ran into the p-p-pole!" Dicey said falling into another laughing fit sitting down to grip her stomach and try to control herself.  
  
He looked at the pole with a slightly dazed expression before it clicked in his brain that they were laughing at him for running into the pole.  
  
"Hey, it's not funny! I wasn't paying attention!" Ephram defended, crossing his arms before feeling the pain and putting them back on his forehead.  
  
"Y-yes it was Brown, it was very funny!" Jake said again, continuing laughing.  
  
"Obviously, if you were paying attention, you wouldn't have run straight into a pole, now would you Ephram?" Dicey said with a smug grin.  
  
"Ha ha, very funny you guys! VERY funny! Now let's go on, my dad probably thinks we were all abducted by aliens by now...or taken in to be used as specimens in some vast government experiment..." Ephram said, standing up.  
  
"Yeah I guess, or maybe he just figures we're being teenagers..." Dicey said, standing up as well.  
  
"Well, that too." Ephram said with a grin.  
  
They all continued their otherwise uneventful walk to the home of the Great Dr. Brown; Dicey trying to keep warm and Ephram trying to hold in death threats for laughing at him...all in good nature of course.  
  
They arrived at the house and Ephram led them in. Jake walked over and sat down on the couch while Dicey explored, looking through everything.  
  
"Geez...at least they aren't reluctant to feel at home." Ephram muttered to himself with a half-hearted grin.  
  
"Hi Ephram. I see you found Jake, huh?" Andy Brown said with a smile as he walked into the room.  
  
"Yeah, we did." Ephram muttered, his head still hurting a little.  
  
"That's good." Dr. Brown said sitting down in a chair.  
  
Hearing all the commotion, Delia rushed down the stairs. She saw Dicey and hugged the teenage girl's waist tightly.  
  
"Dicey! Dicey! You're here! You're here! Daddy WASN'T lying!" Delia shouted gleefully, jumping up and down, almost causing Dicey to drop the picture she was looking at.  
  
After setting the picture down safely she looked down and gave Delia a quick hug.  
  
"Hi Del! How have you been in this mountain town? HOW DO BEAR THE COLD?!" Dicey asked.  
  
"Cold? It's not THAT cold yet." Delia stated.  
  
"See? I told you Dicey!" Ephram said with a smirk. Another sharp pain sent his hands flying to his head once again.  
  
"Hey Ephram, why to you have a big bump on your head?" Delia asked, acknowledging her older brother for the first time since they got home.  
  
"He ran into a pole." Jake said laughing.  
  
Ephram glared at everyone as they expressed their thought on that matter.  
  
"Yeah, yeah, laugh all you want. It hurts." He said, sitting down on the arm of the sofa.  
  
"S-sorry Ephram but HOW did you run into a pole?" Dr. Brown asked, his eyes shining with laugher.  
  
"I wasn't paying attention and it got in my way." Ephram mumbled.  
  
"Yeah, he was spacing off again." Dicey included.  
  
"Well, I think we should give Ephram a break before he begins plotting our demise again." Dr. Brown said. "...besides," he continued, holding up a pan. "I'm cooking."  
  
Ephram's eyes widened and he gasped loudly.  
  
"Are you going to try and kill me friends? THEY JUST GOT HERE!" Ephram shouted enthusiastically, a look of horror across his face.  
  
"Ha ha, Ephram. Very funny." Dr. B said as he started the meal.  
  
"Don't eat it! It's POISONOUS!" Ephram declared to his friends in a hushed whisper.  
  
"I heard that Ephram and it is NOT poisonous." Dr. Brown said, as he looked back form the kitchen into the living room where the teenagers and Delia sat.  
  
"Yes it is..." Ephram muttered softy as he leaned backwards, falling onto the couch. He grabbed a pillow and put it under his head, getting comfortable.  
  
He slowly drifted off into sleep as the pounding of his head blended softly with the beat of his heart. Soon enough, he was in dream world...  
  
  
  
Yes, that's chapter 3, people! Ta da! Anyway...Moz is short for Mozart and Ephram is called that for obvious reasons that need not be explained. Well, please R/R and again, thank you my wonderful reviewers!!! Toodles! ^_~ 


	4. What IS that stuff? Food? I doubt it!

Sorry about the lack of updates!!!  
  
Liz- Thanks again!!! Love ya lots!  
  
Ditey- I'm glad you like it! ^_^ Yes, crazy they are. I'm glad you like'm! *grins*You're welcome! I'm sorry to let ya down there this time, I just got distracted.*pouts* I sowwy. Okies Ditzy Ditey! Lol...^_^ J/K...  
  
Alien- Glad ya like it!!!  
  
Mina-Nel- Thanks!!! I'm glad you think so! You don't know how relieved that makes me! I'm thrilled that you find them realistic...^_^ Yes, he needs his Dicey-time...  
  
Anonymous Person Who Didn't Leave Their Name- Thanks!!!!!!! I think I will...  
  
ChibiJenn- Ah, J-chan, J-chan...long time no see! *gasp of horror and shock* Never seen Everwood? For shame...missed ya too. Oh, I'm honored that you enjoyed the first two sentences...I...think...lol, I'm happy I'm alive too...lol! ^_^ It's good to know my fan club lives on...it gives the warm fuzzies...^^  
  
Singcraz- It's good to know that you aren't a horse...now, we wouldn't want that, would we? I agree...but that person just doesn't seem to be very nice or fair...yes, that must be it! *grabs torches and gathers up fans* LET'S GET'M!!! *grins* j/k...thanks, you're so sweet!!! *wipes tear from eye*  
  
Deanine- Nice to see you again...thanks, it's good to know that you liked it! And even though I was a little hurt at the review you left, I didn't understand that you were helping. Now I'm trying to describe because I'm determined to get better...  
  
I02heydude- Yes, I'm planning on it...*smiles giddily* I'm glad you ,like it!  
  
Lori-jo85- Thank you!!! I'm glad I'm not the only one who thought that was funny...o.O...^_^ Thank you, I'm glad you like them!  
  
Disclaimer- Nope, not yet.  
  
-Chapter 4-  
  
Ephram rolled over and snored softly. He was hugging his pillow tightly and had almost a peaceful look on his face...  
  
::THUMP::  
  
Well, ALMOST peaceful...more like contorted with pain now...that was the sound of Ephram tender head smashing into the side of the chair as he falls onto the hard floor.  
  
"Ow..." Ephram mumbled, muttering incoherent things under his breath.  
  
Looking up, he hears and 'oops'.  
  
And of course, he sees Dicey holding in a grin...  
  
"Dicey..." Ephram muttered, daring her to laugh.  
  
"Heh...hey Dr. B, it worked..." Dicey said with a meek grin.  
  
"I see...Ephram, foods ready." Dr. Brown said, holding of the bowl full of burned food.  
  
Ephram stomach turned and he turned a little green. "Dad, you push me off the couch and wake me up from a nice dream just to kill me with food poisoning? Some great dad."  
  
"Ephram! That's mean...it doesn't look...that bad...I guess..." Dicey said, trying to side with his father...despite the fact that the food looked like it had a life of it's own...that's another story...  
  
"Yes Dicey, it does...don't lie..." Ephram said, walking over to the table.  
  
She shrugged her shoulders and gave Andy Brown an apologetic smile; hey, she had tried hadn't she?  
  
Ephram sat down, took one look and the road kill his father liked to call food and formed a disgusted look on his face. "What IS that food? Food? I doubt it!"  
  
Dr. Andrew Brown looked hurt but before he could say anything, Ephram continued.  
  
"Look people, I'm going to save you a trip to Denver when you have a near-death experience for consuming this...stuff...and order a pizza." Ephram said, standing up and dialed the number for the pizza place.  
  
"But Ephram," Dr. Brown began.  
  
"No, I'm ordering pizza and that's that." Ephram said, shooting them a look and ordering 4 large pizzas.  
  
Dr. Brown sighed; some things never change.  
  
He called the place spending about a minute on the phone telling them the order, whether they wanted cheese bread, and their address. Ephram then sat down and looked content.  
  
"So, what did ya order?" Dicey asked.  
  
"Four large pizzas; two pepperoni, a cheese and a Hawaiian." He answered. "And it'll be here in ten minutes."  
  
"Alright! Hawaiian!" Jake shouted happily.  
  
"Okay son, I guess that works." Dr. Brown said, sighing in defeat.  
  
They sat and talked, mostly Dicey preventing Ephram from biting his dad's head off, Delia complaining about hunger and Jake drooling over Hawaiian pizza...  
  
Ephram nodded and sat back down, grabbing a piece of each choice. Everyone began eating, Jake eating all the Hawaiian, Dicey cheese and pepperoni, Delia cheese, and Dr. Brown got one of each, never quite finishing the Hawaiian. They seemed happy as they were eating...Ephram was too busy eating to argue and hey, his dad was THERE wasn't he? It's a start...  
  
"That was SOOOO good Ephram!" Delia said, finishing off the last off her cheese pizza; she was stuffed.  
  
"Yeah Moz, you never cease to amaze me. You didn't forget my favorite!!! What's a meal without Hawaiian pizza?" Jake said, his hazel eyes shining.  
  
"A NORMAL one." Dicey said, rolling her eyes. She didn't like Hawaiian pizza.  
  
"Hey, just cuz YOU don't like it don't mean it isn't the best!" he said sternly, his eyebrows furrowed.  
  
"Now guys, calm down. We have to find out what to do with the extra pizza.we still have a full box left." Dr. Brown said, worried about leftovers.  
  
"Don't worry dad, I already have that covered. We're teenagers, leftover pizza is not a problem...we can dub it as our midnight snack or something." Ephram declared.  
  
"True...I keep forgetting." Dr. Brown said, trying to readjust to having three teenagers in his house constantly...without Julia...but he was getting along okay...  
  
"With a instigator like Ephram, how CAN you forget?" Dicey asked playfully grinning as Ephram lightly hit her arm.  
  
"Hey Dice, that's not nice. I am NOT an instigator!" Ephram defended.  
  
"Yes, Ephram, you are." Jake said grinning ear to ear.  
  
They all laughed and soon enough, Ephram joined them as he put the pizza all into one box and formed a place in their refrigerator. He sat back down and Dr. Brown got yet another phone call. As he stood up, Ephram's eyes flashed with anger for a second before calming down.  
  
"At it's AFTER dinner this time. I wonder who wants the 'Great Dr. Brown' now..." He snapped coldly, just under a whisper.  
  
Dr. Brown picked up the phone and put it too his ear.  
  
'Hello, Doctor Andrew Brown?'  
  
"Yes, it's me. Can I help you?"  
  
'Yessss...my little boy has been acting strange lately and I'm worried...'  
  
"Okay, how so?"  
  
This went on for a while before Andy said he had to leave and would be back in an hour or so. Ephram rolled his eyes and let out an exasperated sigh. It was happening again...more house calls, more broken promises, and no more father around...  
  
After he left, Ephram continued scowling. He wasn't too happy...  
  
"What's up Ephram? You look upset." Jake asked, noting his friend's angry demeanor.  
  
"It's just he's doing it again." Ephram asked, giving as close to a comforting look at Delia as he could muster.  
  
"What do you mean?" Dicey asked, confused.  
  
"He said he was going to take us to rent some movies tonight." Ephram answered.  
  
"So, we can get them tomorrow after school, big deal." Jake said. He was confused, why was Ephram getting so worked up over a couple movies? C'mon, it's couldn't be THAT big of a deal...  
  
"It's not really the movies, it's the principle of the idea. He said he would take me and Delia to rent movies because we have to return Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory; it gave Del nightmares. Then he goes and gets another house call. Why couldn't he just say, 'I'm sorry, could you come to my office in the morning? I'm doing something with my kids.'? Isn't this town supposed to CARE?!" Ephram spat out, nearly yelling.  
  
"It's okay Ephram. We don't' have to watch a movie. Jake's right, you can just get it tomorrow. I think I'll be okay." Delia said in a small voice, not wanting to cause any trouble.  
  
"No Delia, it isn't fair." He said, calming down a bit.  
  
"It's really okay Ephram. Don't be mad at daddy. He's just doing his job. Well, I'm going to bed now. Goodnight Ephram, Jake, Dicey." Delia said, yawning and walking up to her room, leaving the teenagers all alone in the kitchen.  
  
"Soo...what do you want to do?" Jake asked humorously, trying to break the ice.  
  
"Ummm...I don't know...we could set up you up in the guest rooms." Ephram said after awhile, the tension finally letting up.  
  
Dicey smiled, all was well again. Delia was asleep in bed...or, in bed at least... Ephram is happy again, Jake wasn't mad at her anymore, and she was with Ephram again...only one problem...  
  
School the next day...  
  
"So Ephram, are we going to school with you tomorrow?" Dicey asked as they walk up the stair quietly and into the first guest room; it was Dicey's.  
  
"Yes, do you think I'm going to let you stay in my house but not to feel the pain or Everwood's very own High School? I think not." Ephram said jokingly, a grin spreading across his face as he threw a pillow at her; resulting in a pillow fight.  
  
The only way Jake managed to end the little escapade was to grab all the pillows and fight off anyone who tried to touch them. The three soon calmed down when Delia sleepily walked into the room to ask what was going on...they were quieter after that. Delia's room was right next to this one, and then across the hall was Ephram's and what was soon to be Jake's. Ephram's was directly across from Dicey's and Jake's from Delia's, leaving Dr. Brown's at the end of the hallway.  
  
Ephram laughed again and sat on Dicey's now well-made bed. They were rather tired from all the excitement. All the rooms were set up and they were kicking back in Dicey's room, disregarding the fact that they had school the next day.  
  
Dicey breathed in deeply, letting out soft, content sigh as she looked over at her companions.  
  
"That was the best first day of school ever Ephram." She said with a dazed expression.  
  
They laughed quietly as she continued grinning.  
  
"Glad to be of service...I give tours from 7am to 12:00 noon. Just ask anytime." Ephram said grinning, taking a bow.  
  
They all laughed and Jake asked for a personalized tour, but Ephram him told maybe another time, that the teachers would get suspicious if he was gone two days in a row. That he didn't even do it that often at home...it's better to spread it out a bit, people in this town wouldn't figure out they were skipping unless someone he know caught them...which isn't saying much because everyone knew them before they even arrived here...so scratch that plan.  
  
"Man, so much for the "anytime" thing you had going there Brown." Jake said with a laugh. They broke out into laughter again, hushing when they thought they heard footsteps...only to find that it was their over reactive and sleep-deprived imaginations.  
  
"Dang, we're hearing things you guys...I think we oughtta go on to bed...or we're going to be zombies tomorrow...just the impression you guys need. 'Goth-Boy's Zombie Followers'." Ephram said, his voice dripping with sarcasm.  
  
"Goth-Boy, eh? Great rep ya got. We'll teach them, won't we Dice?" Jake said, standing up and holding his clenched fists out, grinning at Dicey.  
  
"Yeah we will!" she declared, mirroring his pose and they smiled at Ephram.  
  
"You two do that, I'm putting on a movie and going to sleep." Ephram said, putting on the first movie within arms length and popped it in the VCR. Luckily they happened to be in the room with one or that could be a difficult task...  
  
"I think we will." Dicey said snuggling down on the bed, lying across the bed, gripping a pillow.  
  
Jake lay down next to his tow friends as Ephram turned the volume down low and drifted into a sleepy trance. He was lying next to Dicey, who was sandwiched between the two guys, fast asleep. He took in one last deep breath before giving into sleep and enjoyed falling into the darkness and solitude of his dreams...  
  
Well, this may be a little short but oh well, this is the infamous chapter 4...I hope you like it. I'm sorry for the long wait!!! I got so caught up in life. When Thanksgiving ended, my life came back and my lack of computer time returned along with it...not to mention I've made a goal to try and read all the Everwood stories...heh...Please review!!!!!! Toodles! ^_~ 


	5. Morning Sunshine THE CARDINAL ATTACKS!

*horrified look on face* can't sleep...clowns will eat me...can't sleep...clowns will eat me...can't sleep...clowns will eat me...can't slee- huh? Oh, I'm sorry! I didn't see you there! Sorry for the delay but I probably won't be able to update as often as I started out but I'll do my very bestest! ^_^  
  
Lori-jo85- Yes, it 'tis a great quest...BUT I SHALL TRIUMPH!!! *looks around a staring people* What? Yeah, I've read that!!! I love it! I also like 'Two Roads Diverged In A Yellow Road'...too many good fics!!! Thanks so much! I'm glad you like it!  
  
Ditey- Ah, my good friend Ditey! How be you today? Why thank you, I'm glad you liked it! Yes, it will be a joy writing it! Heh...anyway...Yeah, I've never had Hawaiian pizza but I'm basing Jake's taste in food on my older brother and he loves Hawaiian...and it's not what everyone thinks of! Lol...thanks again! They will be actually starting school in the next chapter...I was planning on it starting in this one but I got caught up in "describing" like I asposed to...lol...in case ya didn't catch that, asposed is supposed...yeah, it's not funny anymore...I ruined it...well, yeah...I'm taking deanine's advice and describing more and I wanted to give school it's own chapter...I think it's worthy, eh? Thanks for reviewing again! You and Liz are tied for most frequent reviewer! Love ya both!  
  
ChibiJenn- hey again. It's on Monday from 8 to 9 WHERE I LIVE...so I dunno...you can figure out time difference...lol...I reviewed it!!! ^_^ It was good!  
  
Alien- yes, he did...lol...yeah, I needed to be different, I had never seena guy come so I added Jake...^_^ They are staying for and undefined period of time...lol...well, thanks bunches!!! Like I said with Ditey, I love you guys!  
  
Liz- I'm glad, I'm glad...It's good that it made ya feel better!! Kay, and you just think about'm, k! BTW, thanks for enlightening my with 'American Outlaws'...Poor Jimmy, Jimmy died...*cries*  
  
J- Yes, most definantly! YES!!! FINALLY SOMEONE CAUGHT IT!!! Oh my gosh, I thought no one would ever figure it out...lol...yes, Dicey and Tillerman were drawn from Cynthia Voights's books...I've read'm all...I love them too death! I'm thrilled that you caught that! Well, please review again! ^_^  
  
Disclaimer- Okay, I'll you one guess, is it: C-chan owns Everwood C-chan doesn't own Everwood C-chan has a pet turtle named Bob...wait, or was that C-chan's teacher? Hmmm...I wonder...  
  
Okay, I hope you picked "b" because if you didn't, the lawyers are gonna get me.but if you chose "a", then we can keep it a secret, can't we hm? As for "c"...just, don't stress your brains...^_^  
  
-Chapter 5-  
  
Ephram yawned and stretched, only to discover there was someone on his arm. Turning his sleepy gaze to his arm, he found Dicey lying on his arm fast asleep.  
  
"Morning sunshine" came a sarcastic voice, filled with mock- perkiness.  
  
Ephram turned around, as best he could with someone sleeping on his arm, to find Jake standing there, fully dressed and smirking. Ephram scowled at him and muttered something under his breath as he tried to get up without waking his sleeping companion.  
  
"Nice little perch she has there. You okay Brown? I noticed that when I got up but I couldn't get her off without waking you both...good luck...oh and by the way, school is starting in" he looks at his watch for a minute "10 minutes." He finished with a sly grin.  
  
Ephram sat up jerkily, almost knocking Dicey off the edge of the slept-in bed...  
  
"WHAT DO YOU MEAN SCHOOL STARTS IN TEN MINUTES?" Ephram asked, more mad at the fact that Jake didn't wake him up than the fact he was going to be late for school.  
  
Jake looked at his watch again and grinned stupidly at his angry friend. "Yes, that's right."  
  
Ephram glared as Dicey grabbed his arm for support and looked sleepily at them. In a dazed tone of voice, she asked where she was and why they were yelling. Jake and Ephram looked at each other.  
  
Ephram explained to Dicey that she was at his house and they were all in her room right now. He also explained that they had been yelling because they were going to be late and Jake hadn't woken them up.  
  
Her expression never changed as she stared blankly at the twos guys in front of her.  
  
"Do you think she's still alive in there Brown?" Jake whispered to Ephram.  
  
Ephram shrugged and after a full two minutes, her eyes flashed with anger as it all sunk in. She went on a rampage, throwing pillows at the walls and the two guys, who at this point were feverishly searching for a haven to hide them form her morning-sickness-induced wrath...  
  
"WHY DIDN'T YOU WAKE ME UP? Now I won't have enough time to get ready, and I'll look ugly, and our plan won't work, and I can't find my shirt I was going to wear, and you two are still in my room, and my socks are missing, AND I CAN'T FIND MY TOOTHBRUSH!!!!!" Dicey yelled, red in the face as she ran around, searching fruitlessly for whatever she felt she needed at that given moment.  
  
They looked at each other with fear as they crawled out of the madhouse...that's the last time they feed her pizza and keep her up all night...  
  
"Where do you think YOU'RE going?" she screamed, stomping her bare foot like at two year old on a tantrum; her other foot in a purple sock.  
  
"We're leaving?" Jake said meekly.  
  
"Why?" she asked, narrowing her emerald eyes and fixing them on the two teen boys who happen to be at the wrong place at the wrong time...one thing they seemed to be good at.  
  
"Because you said to?" Ephram replied as more of a question than an answer.  
  
"Oh...I forgot. Go on! I gotta get ready for school!" she said, smiling sweetly as she put down the lamp she was about to throw at them. Their looks of confusion and terror never left their face as they walked through the door, their eyes never leaving the girl who would forever complicate their lives...well, ALMOST to forever...or, maybe forever...eh, same thing.  
  
Once they closed the door, they let out their breath and heaved a sigh. "That was one of the most scary tings I've ever been exposed to." Jake muttered, his eyes still holding the same look. Ephram could only nod as he slid down the wall to sit on the floor next to the door...hey, that rhymed!  
  
Soon enough Dicey emerged as the girl they knew and loved. She had a cutoff 'I Heart NY' shirt on, just for the effect, and a mini denim skirt with a purple and yellow striped men's tie as a belt. She had on tube socks with sneakers and a grin plastered on her face. Her light brown hair was down and pushed behind her ears.  
  
Ephram could only smile at this...Dicey and only Dicey would were an outfit like that on her second day of school...isn't Everwood in for a surprise...'Dicey Johnson's stay in Everwood, Part II!' He laughed at the thought.  
  
"Stunning outfit Miss Johnson." Ephram said. She grinned and her double-pierced earrings shone.  
  
"Why thank you Mr. Brown." She replied with a sugar-sweet smile, taking a bow. "Hey Eph, you going to get dressed or just stand there all day?"  
  
Ephram froze and ran into his room as Dicey and Jake laughed at him. Jake was wearing baggy blue jeans and once Dicey got to him, he had an 'I Heart NY' shirt on over the one he had picked out...no one, and I mean NO ONE argues with Dicey in the morning...then again, no one argues with her EVER...  
  
He grinned and then went into the bathroom carrying the clothes of the day, he was NOT leaving this house without a shower...he knew when he got home Dicey would be in it and he didn't want to smell all day...wouldn't THAT be lovely?  
  
Ephram soon came out of his room, fully dressed. He was wearing a black 'Metallica' shirt on over a long-sleeved gray t-shirt. He wore black baggy pants and still looked rather tired.  
  
Dicey smiled as she got a brilliant idea...and we all know what that means...oh, you don't? Well, you'll just have to find out...  
  
She told them to wait there as she walked into her room. She neatly wrote some on the paper, got masking tape and stuck it on the back. Smiling proudly at herself, she walked out of the room and stuck it right on Ephram's shirt.  
  
It surprised him quite a bit, how often do piece's a written on paper come flying through the air stick themselves on your 'Metallica' shirt? Yeah, that what I thought!  
  
Jake took one glance and laughed. He read Ephram's 'sign' and couldn't help it.  
  
"What's it say?" Ephram asked sternly as Jake subsided from his laughing fest.  
  
Jake grinned at Dicey and gave her a look that said, 'nicely done my comrade'.  
  
"Oh, not to much to worry about...it only says 'I Heart NY too...I guess...hey, are you making fun of ME?'" Jake said laughing. Sure enough, that was written in Dicey's neat, prefect handwriting.  
  
"Ha, ha, ha Dicey. Very funny." He said with sarcasm, but didn't take it off for fear of head bashing, courtesy of their Dearest Dicey.  
  
They walked down the stairs, grabbed some VERY burnt toast, looked at the clock and ran outside, dumping the "toast" by the side of the road.  
  
Ephram grabbed his bike this time. As he mounted the seat, Dicey stood on the bars coming out from the wheels and Jake got on his skateboard and they were off.  
  
As Ephram was riding along, his mind wondered. Why does he feel different about Dicey? Was Amy still okay? He found himself wondering if she was okay. But when Dicey laid her head on his shoulder and her arms around his waist, her soft hair brushing up against his neck, his mind snapped and his thoughts took over. He couldn't like Dicey, right? Right...no...yes...no...yes...he shook his head slightly and focused back on the path to school...he didn't' want to go running into any more poles...he would NEVER live that down...  
  
Dicey sighed as a smile played on her lips. She closed her eyes and breathed in his scent...cinnamon, shampoo, and men's cologne...a lovely mix to Dicey's tired mind. She just breathed in and admired her surroundings. She was so caught up in her thoughts that she didn't see Jake smirking at her.  
  
They arrived at the prison and Ephram lightly poked Dicey in the side and grinned when she toppled off the bike, landing in the cold grass.  
  
She glared at them as they just smiled and held back fits of laughter, knowing she was already ticked. She had been cruelly jerked back into reality, away from her private thoughts.  
  
"Hey Jake, do you have a schedule yet?" Ephram asked, after he helped Dicey up and insisted that she forgive him, he didn't know why but he couldn't stand for her to be angry with him. Naturally, she accepted happily and life went on.  
  
Jake paused with a black look on his face. That said it all...  
  
"You DID register, right Jake?" Ephram asked, pausing as well.  
  
"I...don't know." Jake said, his words broken up a little as he turned as looked at them. Ephram face-faulted at this revelation.  
  
"WHAT?!" Ephram yelled, scaring the pigeons from the trees...wait, does Everwood even HAVE pigeons? Oh, well, all the umm...CARDINALS flew out of the trees and off into the blue-gray sky.  
  
Meanwhile, Dicey reentered her little word. She thought about how the sky was the same color of his eyes as a crazy, and quite tipsy bright red cardinal flew straight at her head, nearly knocking her off her feet and back onto to dying grass...  
  
"WHAT THE-" Dicey started to yell as the red bird toppled away, looking rather dizzy.  
  
Ephram put his hand over her mouth and looked around, only to find the majority of the people staring at them like they were form another planet. He let go and she began massaging her head where the crazy bird crashed into her.  
  
"Everwood doesn't like me..." she wined childishly.  
  
Ephram rolled his eyes and sighed. "Everwood doesn't like YOU? Everwood doesn't like ME! No one is my friend and the only one who attempts to be my friend just HAPPENS to have a boyfriend in a coma...what a coincidence. Oh, and you can't forget the fact that I ran into a pole...oh yes, Everwood just LOVES me huh? Maybe is getting you for knowing me...yeah, that must be it." Ephram said with a laugh. Jake and Dicey joined in as the bird looked at them strangely and tried to fly off. It didn't work so it just walked over to the bush, hopped up to the top and jumped off, flapping its wings like a mad bird...which it was...or maybe just a little gone...it's hard to tell.  
  
Ephram looked around again and noticed something...everyone was gone...THE BELL HAD RANG!  
  
"Hey, the bell rang! C'mon! WE GOTTA GOOO!!!" he shouted as they left the bike at the bike rack and ran towards the building.  
  
Dicey looked back as Ephram dragged her along by her hand. "Hey, Eph! EPH!" she yelled at him to get his attention.  
  
"In a minute Dice! Let's get to the office first!" he shouted back as people in the halls looked at them like they were crazy...a look that they would surely grow accustomed to.  
  
That's chapter 5...whoop-dee-doo...sorry I haven't updated! I have to complete my reviews for Final Exams...ewwie...and study for them for that matter...Finals are this week! I'M SCARED!!! Yeah, and I went to Six Flags one Saturday form 3:15 to 10:00...45 minutes before it's open till closing time...fun fun...I'm sooo tired though...I was performing with my school's choir...we (the Varsity Choir...muahahaha) gotta sing by the entrance...fun fun...oh the joys of living 15 or so minutes away from Six Flags over Texas...anyway, yeah...Most of you wont understand, except for Liz but I dunno where you peeps are from, but it is very hard for me to keep them from saying "y'all" because I say it...being a Texan and all...but I doubt people from Colorado and New York say y'all...so yeah, it's tough...^_^ Well, toodles y'all! Hehe...yeah, I'll shuttup now... 


	6. First Impressions

Liz- Glad ya liked it my Jimmy-luvin' friend...I...miss...my...JIMMY!!!! *pouts* I'm happy you liked that part, it's fun giving them mixed feelings...^_^ Small groups was just dandy...^_^ I invited Connie and she got to know Reid and David...which isn't exactly what I had planned but oh well...lol...well, it's good that you're going back but I still wish you could come with us...I doubt anyone there gives a flying fig newton about me but oh well...it's not my place to say...^_^ I would cry too because that's the best movie ever!!! I want Jimmy back...*sniffles* but okay...have fun...  
  
Ditey- Lol...yeah, most people think that though...sure my brother and I have cowboy hats but that's just as a sarcastic joke about the fact that we're Texans...my brother's hat died though in "The Great Flood" at Blue Haven...right Liz? Heh, she knows of that...he still wore it though...lol...no spurs though...^_^ or horses...or anything...lol...funny how it works like that...Ya welcome...^_^ Yeppers. That's good! ( Yeah she is. I think I will!!! ^_^ BTW, where are you from? Just a question so I can say "Keep writing my _____ comrade!" ^_^  
  
Lori-jo85- Oh, just a tad...^_^ Fun fun! Yeah, I know people who live within walking distance and it's walking distance from my school so that's awesome too...I'm in 8th...-_-...you? Lucky...I don't want to take them...I start tomorrow! O.o They give us ours less then a week from it...thank you!!! I appreciate it! ^_~  
  
Disclaimer- I'll think of one later...  
  
-Chapter 6-  
  
They three arrived at the office and they set Jake up with a counselor to get him in...all they had to say was friend of Dr. Andrew Brown and they said no problem, follow me.  
  
Dicey an Ephram sat down to wait for them in the maroon office chairs to wait for Jake because the secretary lady said she would write them passes back to class as soon as they were done setting Jake up.  
  
Ephram looked around, he had, surprisingly to Dicey, never been in the office long enough to get a good look. There were plants by each door and a table with a plant in between both chairs. There were pictures on the walls and some degrees or personal photos above a desk but other than that, it wasn't all too interesting.  
  
The lady, around 60 or so, eyed Dicey and Ephram oddly. Dicey considering her attire, a cutoff 'I Heart NY' shirt on, a mini denim skirt with a purple and yellow striped men's tie as a belt, and tube socks with sneakers...what old lady WOULDN'T scoff at that? Hm? Tell me that! And she was looking at Ephram because she was curious about the 'I Heart NY too...I guess...hey, are you making fun of ME?' going with the 'Metallica' shirt...  
  
"Hey Ephram...I have a question now that we aren't dashing through the halls." Dicey said, leaning around the plant so she could see his face.  
  
He did the same and leaned out. "Well you see Dicey, people in Everwood won't steal your bike if you don't chain it down...it took me awhile but they don't really care...well, I am a tad worried about Bright and Co. but that's about it..." Ephram explained.  
  
She made the 'ah' shape with her mouth and waved goodbye as she leaned back into her chair, disappearing from his view. He leaned back too and stared at the ceiling, something he would have to do because in all the hustle and bustle, he left his CD player at home...oh darnit...  
  
After about 10 more minutes, the old lady was about to send Dicey and Ephram to class when Jake emerged from the tiny office he had been in with a schedule in hand. They talked for another second before accepting their passes and heading on to class.  
  
Strangely enough, they all HAPPENED to have the same first period class...imagine that...  
  
They all burst in the door at the same time, Ephram and Dicey muttering apologies as they rush to their seats, their heads down.  
  
Jake stood there as the Bio teacher, Mr. Smith, introduced him, slightly different then Dicey.  
  
"Class, this is Jacob Martin and he also will be joining our class. He too is from New York and appears to be friends with Miss Johnson and Mr. Brown. Jacob, choose your seat." Mr. Smith droned, less excited then the day before.  
  
"Um, Mr.," he started as he looked at the teacher's faculty nametag, "Smith, I don't go by Jacob, I go by Jake." He said hotly.  
  
"What is it with you New Yorkers that makes you think you can talk to me like that! I am and adult and I will call you what I want to call you. I will call you what it says on my roll sheet." Mr. Smith said, standing tall and TRYING to act all in control.  
  
"Excuse me, are you stereotyping me? What do you mean by 'you New Yorkers'? Does Eph get on your nerves? No, too late I don't care." Jake said, getting angry.  
  
"Sit down Jacob." Mr. Smith said, agitation evident in his voice.  
  
"I think I will." Jake said glaring as he walked to an empty seat in front of Ephram so he could turn around and talk to him and Dicey during class...he could sense he wasn't going to like Biology at all...  
  
"Hey Jake, I see you aren't fond of Mr. Smith, huh?" Ephram whispered, a smirk evident on his face.  
  
"Thank you Captain Obvious...I don't like him and I haven't been here five minutes..." Jake said before turning around and looking back up to the front of the class...life stunk...no wonder Ephram complained so much...  
  
A girl was talking to her friends feverishly about the newcomer.  
  
"Oh, my, gosh Becky! He is sooooo hot!" a girl, Melissa Gilbert chatted to her friend.  
  
"He has blue spiked hair Mel, I thought we didn't like freaks, remember? That's why we don't like Mr. Purple Hair. Gosh, don't you ever pay attention?" Becky Mikeworth said, flipping her perfect hair.  
  
"But Beck! He's cute too!! Argh...no fair. Okay, fine, they aren't, you happy?" the clueless Melissa said, totally unaware of the fact that you don't have to let other people choose who you find cute...but we can't ask that, much of her.  
  
"Much better. Besides, someone could've heard you...I'm doing you a favor Melissa. Now shut up and listen! I saw this really hot guy at the mall in Denver the other day..."  
  
They endured more lecturing before finally, the moment of truth...the bell rang and they were out of that classroom like a moth to the flame.  
  
Ephram was walking down the hall, half looking for Amy while he put in his combination and opened his locker. As soon as he put his Biology book in his locker and got his Algebra book, the locker suddenly slammed shut. He jumped back and checked his hands to make sure all fingers were still attached. Okay, all eight, wait, wasn't their ten? Oh yeah, thumbs don't count...  
  
As soon as that was done, he looked up only to see an angry Wendell...  
  
"Some friend you are! Some pretty girl and some random guy show up and now you ignore me? I've been trying to catch up for 2 MINUTES! What's up with that?" Wendell complained, throwing his hands up in the air.  
  
The three just stared at him.  
  
"Um Wendell, these are my friends from New York and if you've been calling my name, why didn't you just come, the halls aren't THAT crowded or yelling wouldn't make a difference anyway. And actually, I've been ignoring you since Amy too. You forgot Amy in there." Ephram said precisely.  
  
"That's even worse! I was your FIRST FRIEND and now you just ditch me...I see how it is..." Wendell says, trying to sound dejected but truthfully sounding like a dying cat.  
  
"Well, that's always a plus." Dicey said jokingly as she grinned and walked closer to Ephram.  
  
He looked like he was about to say something but Ephram interrupted, saying he had to go to class and he would see him later.  
  
"Gosh, he's weird...to think you resorted to that Moz...he's kinda creepy..." Jake said.  
  
"Yeah, now you feel my pain." Ephram said with a laugh. "Hey, what do you have next?"  
  
Jake took out his schedule and looked at second period. With a groan, he said Algebra and Ephram grinned.  
  
"So do I! Poor Dicey has to go to her class all be her lonesome." Ephram said, making a pouty face at Dicey as she hit his arm.  
  
"Shuttup! I don't need you guys anyway." She said, putting her hands on her hips and tried to frown at them...resulting in all three of them laughing.  
  
Amy then walked up, and in perfect condition as if she was never sick...maybe because she never WAS sick but that isn't the point, now is it?  
  
Flipping her hair and putting on her sweet smile, she walked up to the threesome. Then it hit her that there were three...not one...not two people...three...when did THIS happen? She's gone for less than one day and ANOTHER long lost friend shows up...great luck...  
  
"Hi Ephram." Amy said as she walked up, trying to suppress a glare at Dicey. She didn't know why but she didn't like her...she felt almost...threatened by her. Sure it was childish but she couldn't help it. It bothered her.  
  
"Hi Amy. You know Dicey, right? Right. But you don't know Jake. Amy, this is Jake Martin. Jake, this is Amy Abbott." Ephram said.  
  
"Hello Jake. You a friend of Ephram too? What are you doing Ham, moving all of New York here?" Amy asked with a smile.  
  
"I try." He answered with a grin as Dicey let loose and glared at Amy. Amy glared back. Ephram stopped smiling as he looked between the two girls in confusion.  
  
"Nice outfit." Amy said cocking an eyebrow and crossed her arms across her chest.  
  
Dicey glared at her and said, "Thanks...but you want to know what? Screw off!" She shot the birdie and walked stalked off.  
  
"This is humorous." Jake said with a smirk as Dicey turned to looked at him and then turned away again before glaring at him too. Amy blushed slightly and made some excuse about going to class and Ephram still seemed confused.  
  
"What was that all about?" Ephram asked Dicey as he and Jake walked with her to class.  
  
"Nothing. I just don't like her..." Dicey said, raising her chin and hugging her binder closer to her chest.  
  
"Why not? What did she do? Is she too preppy for you or do you just not like her?" Ephram said with humor, keeping himself from laughing at Dicey's little issue with Amy.  
  
"I just don't okay?" she said angrily as she stormed into her History class.  
  
Ephram stared at the door as the bell rang loudly and people around him rushed into their own respective classrooms. He didn't care that he was on the opposite side of the building and he would be late again. He was just dumbfounded that Dicey had gotten so mad about Amy. What reason did she have to be mad? It's not like Amy likes him or anything. Why would she care anyway? She doesn't like him...does she?  
  
"Hey Moz, c'mon! We're already late for class. She'll get over it. She's probably just jealous of that Amy chick. I wouldn't ponder upon it too much." Jake said as he pushed Ephram along to their Math class.  
  
Dicey sat in her American History class, not paying attention to Mr. Hancock drone on about the American Revolution. Her mind was on Ephram and Amy...  
  
Could he like me? He seemed to...no, he can't! He has to like me! Hey, since when do I want my best friend's ex? What is the world coming to...this is Ephram we're talking about, not someone else...oh, Rika would know what to do...even Krista would...she'd probably tell me to screw off but oh well...no she wouldn't, would she? Oh, my head hurts...  
  
Who cares about History anyway...he said that Amy girl wasn't his girlfriend but I'm not sure...she seems to like him. She's challenging me! I see it now...wait, I'm deffinantly not thinking straight...I don't even know her...this is what I get for not sleeping for more than 4 hours...ah man...  
  
"-Miss Johnson? Can you tell me who won the Battle of Bunker Hill?" Mr. Hancock said, tapping his fingers on his arm impatiently.  
  
"Huh? What?" she stuttered as she realized she should've been paying attention.  
  
"I asked you a question." He said, narrowing his eyes.  
  
"I guess I wasn't paying attention. I'm sorry, could you repeat it?" she asked as boldly as she could.  
  
"No, I will not repeat it, but I will give you this one chance because you're new." Mr. Hancock said as he continued with his lecture.  
  
Dicey decided at that point that it would be smart to pay attention...  
  
Meanwhile Ephram doing his share of pondering...  
  
I wonder what was up with Dicey. I can't believe she did that to Amy...what did Amy ever do to her? Sure she commented on her 'style' but still...wasn't that overreacting a bit? Well, then again, I would probably react similar to that if it wasn't Amy...so yeah, I understand her...but then she got mad at me...girls are so weird...eh, I wonder if Jake ever has this problem...he could probably figure it out...I'm so tired...  
  
And last, the thoughts of Jake Martin...  
  
Ephram is having major issues, as is Dicey. Dicey is in love with her best friend's ex boyfriend, who has been her other best friend since before the beginning of time. Ephram is stuck in the middle of a tugging love triangle between best friend and manipulative friend who it is hard to tell if she likes him or not...oh well...that's his problem...I wonder what's for lunch...  
  
Tada! That's it for Chapter 6...whoohoo... 


	7. Oh the Joys of School Lunch

To prevent any confusion, thoughts will be inside ~'s. I would use italics but I can't figure out how to make it show up like that on ff.net...if anyone knows, please tell me!  
  
Ditey- Gosh, much coincidence...that's always good to know! Lol...yes, they do...heh, and I made them up. They were supposed to though, so that's a good thing. Whoa, my work is complete! I MADE THEM BORING AND REALISTIC!!! Lol...^_^...I'm glad ya like'm. Yeah, me to but I'm too scared so I make them, to make up for me. ^^ Yes yes, it wouldn't be the same with out it...that's good. Thank you! That's nice to hear! ^_^ Tank ya tank ya! ^_^  
  
Liz- Why thank you! Yes it is! Dun dun dun! Thanks!!!! I'm glad you found humor! Actually, I never even caught my own, sad, eh? That would've been humorous...^_^ Okies. And the lunch part is dedicated to you my firned! You don't know how lucky you are to have (most likely) never eaten school food...*shudders* Enjoy. And, you don't think I'm a rebel, do ya? Personally, I think I'm the least rebellious person I know...^^;;;  
  
Singcraz- thank you! Lol, I hate it when that happens... :)  
  
Maru- ............I'm sorry. The whole point was to show how I pictured his friends...I am sorry but that's how I picture them. How can you say I don't like Amy? Maybe in my story Ephram isn't madly in love with her! I have nothing against her I'm just taking my right as an author to do a "what if". I don't want to sound like a brat but the thing I don't put in my story is part of the reason I'm still watching Everwood. I watch it for Ephram and Amy. I just like writing something that wouldn't happen...isn't that the point of fanfiction? Oh, well, could just be me. And I'm sorry that you think that. I know you're just expressing your opinion though so I guess I can't really say anything. And at least you -tried- to enjoy it...I guess...As for the last thing about me being a rebel, I'm pretty much the opposite. I'm not anything like Dicey, she's merely a figment of my imagination...somewhat based on my friend Connie. As for me wishing I was on Everwood, of course I do! It would be awesome! I don't know a lot of people who have seen who don't.  
  
Disclaimer- Okies, I thought of one! I got a disclaimer to take care of this one and the last one! Why did the chicken cross the road? To run from the rabid lawyers who caught it claiming Everwood! And since I don't want to end up like Mr. Chicken, I'll admit it...I don't own Everwood...  
  
-Chapter 7-  
  
Amy was sitting in her English class playing with strands of her long, golden blonde hair as her teacher, Ms. Ertle explained how to diagram Participles...I mean c'mon, like you're ever going to REALLY use that in life.  
  
~Hmm...are Dicey and Ephram 'together'? If they were, would they tell me? Why do I care...I'm thinking too much...Man, I'm doing it again! I'm starting to think about Dicey and Ephram than my own boyfriend Colin! Maybe I should be paying attention...I don't want to fail. Yeah, 'I failed English because I was thinking about Ephram Brown and whether he and Dicey were going out and if they weren't if I could have him' that wouldn't go over to well with dad...wait, I wasn't thinking if they weren't that I could have him...because I don't want him. Because I love Colin...or...do I?~  
  
Amy got off easy because the bell for lunch rang before the teacher caught her spacing off...luckily for her...let's just say the others didn't get off so easy.  
  
"Okay class, complete the worksheets I handed out for homework and I will expect them on my desk as soon as you walk in or it's late. Class dismissed." Ms. Ertle said as she packed up her bag and left the room, heading straight to the teacher's lounge to begin her lunch.  
  
"Darnit, I really should've paid attention...now I don't know how to do the homework...arrg..." she muttered under her breathe as she trudged out of the room and into the packed hallway.  
  
She walked around and saw her group of friends. Just as she was about to join them, she saw Ephram and Jake walking out of the classroom, talking.  
  
"So Ephram...THAT'S our Math class?" Jake said, glaring back through the door at the teacher smirking at him through the door.  
  
"Yes, I'm afraid so...what did he talk to you about?" Ephram asked, referring to the 'chat' Mr. Adams, the Algebra teacher, with him for not paying attention.  
  
"It's nothing...people here don't like me..." Jake mumbled bitterly.  
  
"Don't worry, they don't like me either. The only friend I had, excluding Wendell, is Dicey's new sworn enemy...lovely, huh?" Ephram said with humor.  
  
"Yeah, just peachy." He said as they met up with a now calmed Dicey and they made their way to the lunchroom.  
  
Amy decided, what the heck, why not follow them? Their all going to the same place after all...  
  
It wasn't too long of a walk to the lunchroom. Again, Ephram led them to "the tree" 'Why not use a table' was what popped into Amy's mind but she shrugged it off and got into the lunch line.  
  
"Hey Ephram, should we get in line?" Jake asked.  
  
"Oh yeah...I forgot that I didn't make Delia and me a lunch today...let's get in line before we get stuck at the back, never to eat again." Ephram said as he led them to the growing line. Lunch hadn't even gone through his mind that whole morning.  
  
They got in line, a few people behind Amy but they didn't notice. They were engrossed in conversation when the jock from the day before walked up to Dicey and slung his arm around her.  
  
"Hey Baby. How are you today? Lovely outfit, it looks good on you." He said.  
  
She knocked his arm off, glared at him and was about to say something when Jake and Ephram interfered.  
  
"Who is this guy Moz and what's he doing to Dicey?" Jake said, his eyes burning with hatred.  
  
"I have no clue but I know that he's the captain of the football team and he appears to have the hots for Dicey." Ephram said smirking. "Even though that first part made NO sense."  
  
Dicey turned and gave Ephram a look that shut him up quick.  
  
"Yeah, but you want to know what? I don't think I'm your type." She said to the jock as she turned back to Ephram and Jake who each had their own unique expression.  
  
"Well babe, if you change your mind and dump these losers, here's my number." He said as he scribbled something down on a piece of paper and handed it to her with a grin as he walked away.  
  
"What are you going to do Dicey?" Jake asked, obviously angry.  
  
She read the paper.  
  
Nathan Miller 254-686-3678  
  
She looked at Jake, ripped the paper up, and smiled. Both guys smiled back at her as they continued their conversation.  
  
In front of them, an astonished Amy eavesdropped. She hadn't meant to but she couldn't help it. She had heard the whole thing. Nathan asked her out and yet she still wouldn't abandon her friends even for the chance to be instantly popular...  
  
Nathan walked with his friends back to their table with a glare on his face. He had seen what Dicey had done and was angry.  
  
"I told you Nate, she so stuck on them that she wouldn't leave them for you if you were the King of England." A girl, Melissa Gilbert, and her friend Becky Mikeworth said, putting on pouty faces.  
  
"Shuttup. All she needs is a little persuasion. I mean she can't like them THAT much I mean c'mon, NO ONE does...she bound to give in someday." He said, sitting down.  
  
"I don't see why you're so interested Nathan, she's from the same place they are; Friends with them too. I don't' see why you just don't go out with me..." Melissa said, looking down at the table, playing with her long bleach-blonde hair.  
  
"I already told you Mel, I don't like you! I like her." He said glaring an taking a bite of his sandwich.  
  
"Right..." she said sadly and began eating her lunch too.  
  
Meanwhile Ephram, Dicey, and Jake got to the food...or what they liked to CALL food...  
  
"Ew, Ephram. Are they FEEDING us this stuff?" Dicey groaned a little to loudly, earning a hard glare form the lunch lady slinging the slop into each individual lunch tray.  
  
"Oops, sorry..." she said with a smile, more to herself and her joke than the lady.  
  
She just continued glaring and slinging as they got their plates, trying to keep themselves from vomiting.  
  
Just as they were about to sit down at a table, Ephram stopped, looked at his 'food', and muttered, "I'm going to go outside and throw up now..." as he walked to the doors leading to the courtyard area where he usually sat, his face a light tint of green.  
  
"I second that." Dicey said, watching her lasagna move around. She poked it and it slowly oozed back up in yellow globs. She put her hand over her mouth as she briskly followed out the door.  
  
Jake took a quick look at his before dumping his the hazardous waste in the trashcan as he joined his friends outside.  
  
Jake sat down and waited for his friends to come back from throwing up. He knew if he hadn't thrown his away, he would be joining them. But he's slightly smarter than that...  
  
Amy watched them walk outside looking as if they were going to empty the contents of their stomachs all over the lunchroom...with food like they serve in this school, she wasn't the least bit surprised.  
  
She took in a deep breath, fixed her hair, and walked outside after them. Seeing Ephram and Dicey dash over to the trashcan to do as she predicted...throw up.  
  
Just watching made her feel a little sick so she walked over to Jake, who was sitting and waiting patiently for them to return. He was smart enough not to look at the road kill before eating it...then it doesn't give you time to think about what they did to it...or DIDN'T to it for that matter...  
  
"Hi...I see you threw it away." Amy said as she walked up.  
  
He just nodded and smirked at the to sitting by the trashcan, not looking so good.  
  
"Yeah, I don't need lunch that bad. I think they will be coming back in a second. After they realize it isn't edible, which they seem to be doing now, they'll throw it away, come back, and struggle to regain conversation. They tend to have weak stomachs. But for Ephram, the way he talks about his father's food, it's a wonder he can still be grossed out."  
  
Amy just nodded as a smile spread across her face. He was really something. Happy one minute, angry the next. Quiet one minute, laughing the next. Talking one minute, throwing up school food the next.  
  
"Hey, Jake, does every one in New York dye their air?" Amy asked him. It had been bothering her for awhile considering both Ephram and Jake had..."colorful" hair...not that she minded or anything...  
  
He just smiled. "No, just us. Dicey did when we did but it was washable because she liked her hair brown. Ephram and I did it because we wanted to be different, and our friend Rika did it to be rebellious...part of the reason Ephram did it too. Both have family issues. As for Krista...let's just say her parents nearly had a heart attack when she got blonde highlights." Jake said with a grin.  
  
"They're far to strict on her and look down on us. They don't like us at all. I swear they freaked out when her and Ephram went out. They were always mad at them and never let him in. They tried grounding her from us but she did the most rebellious thing she knows how to and that's sneak out. It took them awhile to figure it out but she got off relatively easy. She's a rich family's daughter. They hate our guts. It's kinda funny."  
  
"So, Ephram went out with that girl, Krista, wasn't it?" Amy asked with curiosity.  
  
"Yeah, they went out for quite awhile. They seemed to really like each other. But then one day, the thing with her parents just ruined it. They decided they were better off as just friends. It was really sad. They both seemed pretty upset but soon enough things were back to normal." Jake answered. He wasn't having quite a bit of fun answering questions.  
  
"So, you said Krista was a "rich family's daughter", right? No offense, but I don't really think of you guys as being the type to befriend someone like that." Amy said.  
  
"What is this, 20 questions?" he asked playfully. She blushed but and he continued on to answer her question. "Yeah, people might think that but I didn't take it offensively. Her and Dicey had been friends most of their lives. They know just about everything about each other. And when we met Dicey, Krista was right there with her. It makes me glad Ephram talked Rika and me into giving them a chance. We almost didn't. To think we could've never known them...but because of her long-lasting friendship with Krista, Dicey's having a hard time." He finished, looking almost solemn.  
  
"Hard time? What do you mean?" Amy asked.  
  
"It's, not my place to say what's wrong. She hasn't actually admitted it but I can feel it. Hey, look, here comes the vomit-squad." Jake said, perking up as Ephram and Dicey trudged back.  
  
"Ha, ha...very funny." Ephram said, sitting down next to Jake, Dicey next to him.  
  
Amy smiled at the site. She had learned some interesting information. It seemed crazy to her how he used to actually have a life before. I mean, she knew it but it still sort of amazed her how different it was.  
  
"It's you." Dicey said, glaring.  
  
Amy just held her head high, narrowed her eyes a bit, and replied, "Yes it is."  
  
"What are you doing here?" she asked, trying to calm herself down. She didn't want a reason to be mad at Ephram again.  
  
"I was talking to Jake." She answered simply, trying to smile.  
  
Dicey shot a glare that had "traitor" written all over it.  
  
"Well, I guess I'll be going now. Thank you for the nice conversation Jake." She said before looking at Dicey and walking off. She couldn't believe how weird she was acting...she wasn't...herself around them...  
  
"Hey, Amy! Wait. Do you want to sit with us?" Ephram asked. She was his friend and he would at least offer...even though he figured she had better things to do, it wouldn't hurt anyone.  
  
Amy looked at them, reluctant to agree. She wanted to sit with Ephram but didn't want to be within a ten feet radius of Dicey...how she would pull that one off she didn't know.  
  
However Dicey decided for her. "HECK NO she can't sit with us Ephram! She has her own friends."  
  
"But-" he started before Jake gave him a look that said "drop it before she gets even madder. But he didn't listen to the look. Amy was his friend too...right?  
  
"Dicey, maybe she is trying to be friendly." He defended. Amy looked kind of surprised; she didn't expect him to stick up for her. Apparently, Dicey didn't either.  
  
"What? But she has her little prep friends she can sit and talk to! Besides, you said so yourself that she probably doesn't like you anyway." Dicey said, crossing her arms.  
  
"That's not what I said." Ephram said as Amy stalked off.  
  
Ephram sighed. Life was so hard. He couldn't be friends with both girls easily and now h knew it for sure...  
  
"Look what you did Dicey." Ephram said. He wasn't having the best of days.  
  
"Look what I did huh? You don't know what it's like Ephram! You don't know what it's like to always be pushed aside!" Dicey spat out.  
  
"Yes I do-" he started before being interrupted again.  
  
"No you don't! I love you Ephram Brown! And now I'm not sure I want to! You seem to like this Amy girl! And I can't have you because it would be betraying Krista and I can't do that! But I can't control it so just leave me alone!" she yelled as she stood up and ran.  
  
  
  
This is chapter 7. But you already knew that...wow, my longest chapter yet. I can't guarantee another this long but you never know...^_^ Eww...just thinking of the school food made me sick to the stomach. o.O that's why I haven't eaten school food in almost 2 or 3 years...just watching my friends eat that stuff makes my stomach churn...^^; just a personal opinion though...even though I doubt anyone'll disagree. ^_^ I hope you enjoyed the story and please review! Toodles! ^_~ 


	8. It's a NotSoBad Day Afterall

Liz- Why thank you! I figured you would enjoy that line...and there's more where that came form I assure you! ^_^ Oh, poor you...at least you only had too eat it for awhile...lucky...  
  
Shelly- I'm going to start referring to you as Shelly instead of singcraz...wanna know why? Because A) I can, B) You're cool...^_^ Anyway, Yes, yes we are the best! Yeah, I'm thinking within the next few chapters...depends on how it unfolds...I only plan roughly what I'll do and then I write it however it comes to me...that's both good and bad but that's just how I've always done it.  
  
Ditey- I'm glad you liked the confession! Heh...sorry...^^;;; I'm sorry about the makin' ya throw away your potato chips thing...I guess I got a little carried away with the descriptions...That might be a good idea...I got a little sick just writing it...*smiles* Yes, cattiness is good. Thank you! ^_^ Why yes it is Oh Observant One! ^_^ Lol...just kidding...eh, just a little slow...but hey, aren't we all? ^_^  
  
PersonWhoDidNotLeaveTheirName- Okies...glad you like. ^_^  
  
I think I'm going to start putting the separators to because otherwise it might get confusing...tell me if you like it better this way or the other...  
  
Disclaimer- I have yet to contain ownership of Everwood so don't sue...I have no money anyway...  
  
-Chapter 8-  
  
Dicey kept running, pounding her feet against the ground. She couldn't believe what she did. But all the adrenaline flowing through her blurred her mind, causing her to speak what she was thinking. Now the world knew. She couldn't deny it anymore. She blurted it out.  
  
Stupid stupid stupid!  
  
But she kept running as if running could allow her to escape her problems.  
  
Logically she knew it would never work. She wasn't a child and she wasn't stupid. Well, at the time she sure thought she was. But it made her feel better so she allowed her legs to carry her wherever they wished. Why did she come? Why couldn't she have just let Jake take care of it? Then she wouldn't be tempted. Deep down she knew that wasn't true but she led herself to believe it, just to make her feel better.  
  
I mean, how does she know if he even likes her? He's never shown any signs and he seems attracted to that Abbott girl...  
  
Her enemy at that.  
  
Even that walk in the park didn't say whether he was interested. He was going as a friend showing another friend the small town he was hauled to. He was probably laughing at her...  
  
No, Ephram wouldn't laugh at her...that's one of the things she loved about him. But what could he be doing? Talking with Jake? Looking surprised? Giving looks that say, "make any comment and you will have no vocal cords"?  
  
She finally ran out of steam and slowed down. She was at the park, go figure...she decided to sit down and take a breather. Running form your problems can really take it out of you.  
  
Sitting down on a bench, she looked around. All she was doing was cooling off. She would have to face him someday anyway...I mean she's LIVING there for now...  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Ephram stood up, watching her run off. He was shell-shocked.  
  
She...what?  
  
He kind of stuttered back a little and sat back down, staring off into nothingness...  
  
~She...likes, no, LOVES me...but...how? What about Travis? Didn't she like Travis? Or did she break up with him...man, I don't remember...My mind is a blur, her running off...everyone looking at me. Darn you all stop looking at me. I'm outta here...I'm finding Dicey! I have to work this out!~  
  
He stood up again and ran after her. He wasn't going to let her get away. He needed to talk with her.  
  
Amy watched him run. Everything was mixing together and shrouding out anything that made sense. What was going on here? Dicey really did like Ephram? And he was chasing her?  
  
Her worst fear was revealed...  
  
As soon as she decided maybe Colin wasn't coming back, Ephram is out of reach...  
  
Wait, when did she decide against Colin? Just now? And who said Ephram was out of reach? And who said she cared...wait, but she did...no, she didn't...  
  
"Arrggg!" Amy muttered under her breath, clutching her head.  
  
Everyone shifted their glance from Ephram's fading figure to Amy shaking her head, muttering something incoherent under her breath.  
  
She noticed the stares and turned significantly redder as she dropped her hands and stared at a piece of grass.  
  
And a lovely one at that.  
  
Wait, now she's resorted to calling the grass lovely! What was the world coming to?  
  
Before she could answer her question, her name broke her out of her thoughts.  
  
"Amy! C'mon! Where have you been all lunch? Sitting with the losers won't help your standing! Come on now Amy! We have to go now! Who cares what their problem is anyway?" a snobby girl said walking up to Amy, looking disgusted to even be near Jake.  
  
"Eh, how can you STAND to be NEAR these people? Look at their hair! And their clothes? They are SO OUT!" the girl, Paige, continued, commenting on every little thing.  
  
"Look, does it matter? If we're going to eat, then lets get back inside." Amy snapped quietly as she stood up and walked into the cafeteria. Paige had no right to insult Jake, or any of them, like that but she couldn't stand up to them. They were her only friends and she didn't want to be any lonelier. She wouldn't fit in anywhere else so she had to stick with them, even if she didn't really like them anymore.  
  
"Hey, Amy! Wait up!" Paige whined as she walked, trying to rush in her high-heeled shoes...which is a real trick might I add.  
  
Jake stared and laughed slightly. "That, was almost funny. The preppyness is almost overwhelming." He said to himself.  
  
"No joke..." a voice came from behind him. There stood that annoying guy that talked to Ephram in the hall...what was his name? Wendell, wasn't it? Peachy...just peachy...Oh well...  
  
Jake looked at him for a second then turned back to where Ephram had disappeared too.  
  
~Good luck man...~  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Ephram was running the fastest he could remember...and the last time he remembered running like this was when his mother died. When he found out she was dead, he was out the door, running like there was no tomorrow. And according to him, their wasn't.  
  
That was life's end. He had recently broken up with Krista and was feeling down. He had to hide it because they had both decided it was best that way. But now things were more complicated. Dicey and Jake just...showed up on his doorstep and changed his life in Everwood...everything...but that wasn't a bad thing...they changed it for the better. It seemed like no matter how hard he tried, his best wasn't enough for Amy Abbott. And now he finds out Dicey likes him too? How long has this been going on?  
  
Before clearing his thoughts, he whispered to himself, "I have to tell her how I feel..."  
  
He stopped only when he found a slouched figure curled up in a ball on the bench. He slowly walked over, curious if it was Dicey.  
  
Sure enough, it was her. Her face was tear-streaked at this point and was staring off into space as if nothing else in the world existed except her and her bench.  
  
He walked over and sat next to her. She still didn't move. It was as if she didn't even know he was there.  
  
"Dicey?" he said softly. Her head jerked up and she looked at him, her normally bright green eyes were misted over.  
  
"Ephram." She said back, wiping her eyes, trying to pretend she hadn't been crying. She knew he knew but it was the principle of the idea.  
  
He was about to say something when she continued. "You don't have to say anything. It was stupid of me to say those things. I know you've been through a lot and I had no right to say you didn't know how I felt. But I was angry with myself. I didn't plan on saying it, it just...happened. I'm sorry if I embarrassed you or something. I know you had your sights set on Amy...I just couldn't help it. I love you and it doesn't seem fair." She said, another tear rolling down her cheek.  
  
Ephram felt horrible for making her feel that way. He couldn't take it anymore...he would tell her before she got even more hurt.  
  
"Dicey. I need to tell you something." He said softly, looking at her shriveled up form.  
  
She looked up; her eyes glistening with held back tears. "What?" she wasn't one for crying but something about the situation really hit a bad spot.  
  
"I want you to know that-" he started timidly. He took a breath and continued. "I wanted you to know that I love you too. I will admit that before you came, I was interested in Amy. But as soon as you came here, I remembered how much you meant to me. How you would never abandon me when everyone else has. I'm not one for romantics but I truly, deeply love and you and if I were to die right now, I wanted you to know." He said solemnly.  
  
She grinned like a little girl. "That's enough Star Wars for you Ephram." She said, now smiling brightly.  
  
He grinned back. He hated to ruin the moment but he figured it would cheer her up...and he was right...Dicey always did like Star Wars...  
  
"Yes ma'am." He said before leaning in to kiss her before she held up her hand. Seeing his confusion, she backed up her actions with an explanation.  
  
"I have a question first." She said.  
  
"What? Why?" he asked, visibly confused.  
  
"I wanted to know about when you such how much I meant to you. What exactly did you mean? I know I'm over analyzing but I gotta know. Did you think of me as a love interest then or still just a friend?" she asked cautiously.  
  
"I loved you. When Krista and I broke it off, I was depressed. But I was planning on asking you out for the longest time. But I didn't think it would work. I knew you and Krista were close friends so it seemed to be unethical. Besides, I didn't recognize it as love yet...I was slightly confused so I ignored it." He answered.  
  
"But wouldn't it be unethical now too?" she asked, truly worried.  
  
He understood her questions now; she was worried about Krista. "I think she would want us to be happy. We both agreed it was over so I think it's fair. Krista won't hold it against any of us; she isn't like that. You shouldn't worry about it." He finished.  
  
"Okay. Now where were we?" she said, smiling as they leaned in for a kiss.  
  
Just as their lips brushed, a voice came pounding mercilessly into their moment. It slapped them back into reality as they looked for the voice's owner. Ephram look reasonably angry as well as Dicey. She was finally about to get her kiss when they were rudely interrupted.  
  
"We'll find them later, won't we Dice?" he asked, shooting a glance at her as she returned it. They were struggling to be serious but ended up bursting into laughter.  
  
As soon as their laughter subsided, Dicey asked, leaning on his shoulder and breathing in his scent. "Can't we just stay here for awhile?" she whispered. The trees around them shaded them and sent off a nice comfortable feeling.  
  
"We can't...we skipped yesterday and again, we can't be too suspicious...heh...not that we aren't already." He said, smiling broadly. He couldn't believe he hadn't really noticed her much before.  
  
She smiled. "Hmm...I guess you're right Ephram back. I just don't want to go..." she said, looking up at him, he tears not completely gone.  
  
"I don't either but we have to. You may be able to fail and get away with it but I gotta live here so come on." He said playfully as he got up pulled her with him.  
  
Dicey took in a deep breath and sighed. ~Today may not be so bad after all...~  
  
You like? If you did, you know the drill...review review review! ^_^ And as for the Star Wars thing, I just finished watching Episode II, which was given to me as a Christmas present from Liz, thanks Liz! Anyway, it was on my mind so it influenced me.^_^ Well, that's all I have to say...except thanks for all the reviews and please keep'm comin'! ^_^ 


	9. Confrontations

Lady Jenna- *wipes sweat off of forehead* whew...that's a relief! I was asking because someone said she was and I needed your expert opinion! ^_^ Yeah, me too...lol. That would help...I like anime...it's awesome...^_^  
  
Azwethinkweizgrl- Thank you! I'm glad you think so!  
  
Liz- Ah, Liz! Thank ya kindly...*smiles modestly* lol...^_^ don't mind me...yes, it's my style...lol, but you would know that by now because I always insist you read every word I write! ^_^ good, I'm glad people liked that part...good! I'm glad you have been doing so! There are some great ones out there! I'm jealous...lol, j/k. Yes, I will...I don't hate Amy, and you know that so that's all that matters. Oh, yes, I did the quote juuuuuust for you! Feel special. ^_^ Yepyep ya have. Lol.  
  
Shelly- Yeah, I would cry after writing it...I do that sometimes...lol, not with my writing in particular but this one time I cried because something bad happened in a story...it was crazy...but you probably don't care, do ya? Lol...^^ Thank you. Ooo, what have we told you about that thinking thing? It's bad for you...heh, :)...That sounds like a great idea! I'd love too! ^_^ That would be so fun! Good idea! *high five* ^_^  
  
Lori-jo85- Oh fun...I know the feeling though...people from our youth group practically live at our house...we are ALWAYS cleaning...I hate it...lol...anyway, I'm rambling again...thank you! I'm so glad everyone likes Dicey! *tears up* you're all so great! Yes, yes...it is...yes, I think you oughtta meet Liz...she's Hayden's loyal fangirl, aren't ya Liz? ^_^  
  
The Riff- Thank you! I'm really glad you like her! I'm always worried people wont but I've only had a few problems with flamers. Wow, I'm so honored! Thank you!!!!! ^_^  
  
WARNING: Slight violence.  
  
Disclaimer- Sorry, I have no witty comment to put in my disclaimer today! I have failed you all!!! WAAAAAAHHHHHHH!!!!!!!! Eh, anyway...C-chan doesn't own Everwood...  
  
-Chapter 9-  
  
Dicey and Ephram soon arrived back to the courtyard where they were going to eat when the lunch bell rang.  
  
"That's just peachy..." Dicey muttered under her breath as Ephram surpassed a grin. Today was a good day...nothing could ever go wrong...  
  
"Dicey, remember? We couldn't eat anyway because we threw away that stuff." He remarked as she nodded in agreement. She had forgotten about that.  
  
They went on inside when they didn't find Jake at the tree where they had left him.  
  
Dicey followed Ephram to his locker as he began switching books and things. He was so busy talking with Dicey and minding his own business that he didn't notice the large frame of Nathan Miller walking up behind him.  
  
"Hey Brown. I need to talk to you." He said bitterly as Ephram turned around, genuinely confused. He had forgotten about their little 'encounter' in the lunch line.  
  
"What do you want?" he asked, trying to figure out what the captain of the football team would want with him. How would he end up on his hit list...he hadn't done anything lately...had he? He couldn't quite remember.  
  
"I heard about you and Dicey...how'd it go?" he growled. He hadn't even noticed Dicey standing next to his purple-haired target.  
  
"Just GREAT! What's it to you?" he said angrily. He wasn't please about the invasion of privacy...not that he was fond of the guy in the first place.  
  
"Well, it bothers me that she would pick a little runt like you when she could have someone like me. It really bothers me Brown. So you want to know what I'm going to do about it?" he growled, this time with even more spite than before?  
  
"What Nathan? What are you going to do about it?" Ephram snapped sarcastically. This guy was really starting to get on his nerves.  
  
Nathan muttered a 'this is what' as he slung his fist at Ephram's face.  
  
Ephram hadn't been expecting it but Dicey had a feeling about it. She was about to step out and say something when she felt knuckles colliding with her cheek. She let out a cry of pain as she stumbled back and put her hand over her cheek, turning a hard, teary glare at Nathan. That hurt and she wasn't going to let him get away with it.  
  
But before she could get to him, Ephram was on it. He jumped forward, slinging his fist at Nathan's nose, knuckles meeting hard cartilage, his eyes flaring with anger.  
  
Nathan stumbled back similar to the way Dicey did but before he could even look up to his attacker he felt a sharp pain in his stomach. After clutching his stomach he looked up in time to dodge another punch to the face and connected a punch at Ephram's left eye. Ephram muttered a string of four-letter words before revolting against the larger teen again.  
  
The crowd around broke out into a relentless chant, "FIGHT, FIGHT, FIGHT, FIGHT, FIGHT, FIGHT, FIGHT, FIGHT!"  
  
The two boys continued their brawl as teachers struggled to brake in and stop it. They were swinging at each other, blindly attacking.  
  
Finally the vice principal was able to get in long enough to stop the punches and kicks. Some other teachers were then able to get in and holding the thrashing boys and calm them down slightly. Dicey was still whimpering a little and massaging her right cheek.  
  
She didn't mind the consequence because she wasn't a happy camper. She walked up to Nathan, past the teacher restraining Ephram and stopped. She muttered something to him before, much to the teacher's, as well as student's surprise, slapped him and 'raised her knee in appreciation'.  
  
Ephram contained laughter as he face contorted with pain and she glared at him and walked off. But unfortunately, that didn't last long...  
  
Within a matter of 5 minutes the three teens were in the office, staring at the wall. It had been a bad fight and they were taking each of them in and getting their perspective of it.  
  
"Nathan Miller." Came the voice of their principal, Mrs. Raker.  
  
He stood up in pain and trudged to the small "room of doom". They said they would have to wait to go to the clinic until after they got the information. They were all in deep trouble and they knew it.  
  
"You okay Dice?" Ephram asked groggily form his place on the roughly carpeted floor. His whole body ached and his eye was killing him...but he wouldn't tell Dicey for fear of a damaged ego.  
  
"Yeah. I didn't get it bad at all, just a minor punch in the cheek. You're the one who looks like you just came back form a slaughter house." She said with humor, though when she smiled a volt of pain shot through her head.  
  
"Ha, ha. I just wanted to make sure." Ephram said. He had been worried about her. When he saw the punch hit Dicey, his mind went on overload and his emotions took over.  
  
They heard a door slam on the other side of the big plant. Ephram looked at Dicey and she acknowledged. She understood the look as one saying, "you look because I'm in too much pain to but I'm too proud to say it".  
  
She leaned over and much too her surprise, saw Jake walking in, muttering obscenities under his breath. It didn't' look like he had been in a fight or anything so, why was he here?  
  
"Jay? What are you doing here?" Dicey asked, utterly confused yet with an amused look on her face.  
  
When Ephram heard her say his name, he stood up, biting back the pain.  
  
~Why am I being such a baby? I'm not that hurt...sure I feel like a multitude of knives are being jabbed through my body but that's normal, right?~ he thought as he tried walking over to Jake, tripping over his foot and adding another to his collection of bruises.  
  
"Hello Ephram. Man, you don't look so good...what happened to you?" Jake asked. Ephram didn't look so good. A black eye forming on his left eye, bruises forming on his arms and face. He looked like he got a few punches in the stomach due to the fact he was somewhat clutching it and had to hold in painful faces.  
  
"Eh, I feel like I just got run over by a bulldozer...is...that good?" he replied with humor, trying to loosen up the fact he had just gotten in a fight with the captain of the football team...again, not a very smart thing to do...  
  
"Yeah, you look it. Are you okay? What happened?" Jake asked, worry evident in his voice. "What did I miss?" he added with a grin.  
  
"I'm okay...just a little sore. But he had it coming to him." He grinned before earning a weird look form Jake so he continued. "Nathan Miller got mad because of me and Dicey so he started a fight. He took a swing at me and well, it never made contact." He continued.  
  
"Wait, wha? Then how come you look like the living dead if he never hit you?" Jake butted in.  
  
"Hey, I'm not finished yet! Don't interrupt, Jake! Anyway, as I was saying...Dicey said that she was stepping out to say something to her because we don't think he saw her when he ended up hitting her right in the face, hence the large purple spot on her right cheek." He said with slight humor at first.  
  
"Oh, I see. So still, he still hasn't hit you yet!" Jake said in confusion.  
  
Ephram looked at him, slightly ticked. "If you would let me FINISH then maybe we'll get to it before I kill over." He said, shutting Jake up. Ephram grinned to let him know he wasn't really mad and continued.  
  
"Ahem, okay, moving on now. I got really mad and punched him in the nose and then we fought...for quite some time and now we're here." He finished, proud to finally finish.  
  
"Ah...I see...then, why is Dicey here." Jake said, still confused about why the brunette girl was in the office...she didn't appear to have done anything wrong.  
  
"Well, she had to get her two cents in and happened to do so while we were being restrained and dragged off. I will be so mad if they send us to counseling though...those people scare me." Ephram explained.  
  
Jake started laughing as they all broke into laughter, even though it hurt Ephram's stomach. He didn't care.  
  
"Okay, you have our story Jake, what's yours?" Ephram asked.  
  
Jake made a face. "Well, you know that paper from Algebra?" Jake asked.  
  
Ephram nodded his head. He remembered. Jake didn't seem thrilled but didn't act like it was that big of a deal...what could it have said?  
  
"Well, that was a lunch D-Hall for talking back, getting on his nerves, refusal of work and everything else he could possibly think of...I'm making friends with these people..." he answered.  
  
"But why are you here? D-Hall isn't held in the office and it isn't that big of a deal..." Ephram said, confused.  
  
"If you won't INTERUPT me, then I'll tell you..." he said with a grin. Ephram grinned back and Jake continued. "Well, I missed it at lunch and so they turned it into an office referral which doesn't seem fair to me at all..."  
  
"Bummer...that stinks...I'm sorry man...you seem to be having a crummy first day." Ephram said with sympathy.  
  
"Eh, it isn't that bad I guess...at least they aren't getting the wrong idea or anything." Jake joked with a smile when they saw Nathan walking out with a pass to the nurse.  
  
Nathan glared at them as he left and they saw Mrs. Raker walk out of her office, a hard glare apparent on her face.  
  
"Ephram Brown." She said with obvious distaste.  
  
Ephram stood up, gave them a last look before entering the dreaded room.  
  
I have nothing to say except I hope you like it...sorry to get off the lovey-dovey stuff but this has been tugging at my mind and I needed a place to put it so I chose here...obviously...well, that's it! Please review and have a nice day! Toodles! ^_~ 


	10. Interrogations

Ditey- Heh, it's okay. But I was wondering where you were...lol.Good, I'm glad you liked it...considering you were the only one to review it! *sniffles* anyway...but yeah, I though so too. I'm glad you thought so. Oh yes, can't go without the input from Dicey, eh? She had to let him know how she felt before he and Ephram were dragged away...lol, okay, I'll do so now!  
  
Disclaimer- *sings* I don't' own Eeeeeverwood! No, I don't' own Everwoooooood! I. Don't. Own. Everwood!!!!!!!! The end. *bows* Thank you, thank you my loyal fans...eh, anyway...  
  
-Chapter 10-  
  
Once he closed the door, he felt trapped. He looked around finding almost bare walls and dreaded sitting in the single maroon chair that adorned the room. She sat down in her swirly chair, set her glasses down to the tip of her nose, looking intimidating.  
  
"Sit down Mr. Brown." She said stiffly.  
  
As serious as the situation was and as creepy the lady principal looked, he had to resist the urge to start laughing at the rhyme...yes he was being immature and it was rather out of character for him but she hearing the principal rhyme at a moment like this was almost to much. It would NOT help his case to laugh at the principal in her face and they wouldn't believe him when it was because what she said rhymed...so he would just stay quiet and not laugh.  
  
He obeyed her command and sat in the uncomfortable chair. Her eerie gray eyes pierced through him and he found himself slouching in the chair, trying to hide away from the psychopathic mad woman.  
  
"You know what you did. The only question now is why. Why, Mr. Brown, did you attack Mr. Miller? I know you are still rather new and still adjusting but getting into fights will not help you fit in." she said sourly to Ephram as he tried looking at a spot on the wall to avoid eye contact.  
  
Which was not the thing to do at this particular time.  
  
"Are you listening to me? Do not disrespect me and look at me when I am talking to you. Take it to heart because this may be a deciding thing on whether we give you a ticket for assault or not. This is a very serious thing. We do not have fights in Everwood High. Am I making myself perfectly clear Mr. Brown?" she snapped venomously.  
  
"Crystal, Mrs. Raker." He said timidly. He looked at her like he was commanded to and tried sitting still and to not fidget...she wouldn't like that either.  
  
"Okay then. Now, tell me from YOUR point of view what happened." She said, still burning holes into him with her relentless stare.  
  
"Yes'm...I have a friend, well, more like girlfriend at this point. Her name is Dicey and Nathan had well, taken a liking to her. He got angry that he couldn't have her and that she wasn't interested in him, she was interested in me. So after lunch on our way to class he walked up and started threatening me. He hadn't noticed Dicey yet and he took a swing at me. Well, Dicey stepped out to announce her presence and say something when he hit her, even though he was aiming for me. I lost my temper and hit him back for her. That's when the fight started. We fought for awhile and then here we are." He said, telling everything he knew. He wiped trickling blood from his bottom lip. It was the only thing Jake hadn't seemed to notice when stating Ephram's wounds.  
  
"I see...so again, it's all about a girl...go figure...well, you can go to the clinic now Mr. Brown. Don't leave though because the nurse wants you all there at the same time. Tell the girl to come on in. Is she the object of affection in this situation?" she asked, her voice still bitter.  
  
He nodded and she nodded back. She sent him back outside and he motioned to Dicey to go on in. She nodded and waved farewell like she was going off to war as she went into the room.  
  
Ephram sat down in the chair Dicey had been occupying since they had entered the office and leaned back to relax. Jake had already been summoned to wherever they were taking him and he was all alone in the office with no one to talk this over with. He then looked up at the ceiling before deciding he would head on to the nurse's office. As much as he hated being in the office, he'd rather be there then in the clinic with Nathan right now...  
  
Dicey took in a deep breath as she entered the room. She was going to handle this calmly and coolly. Ephram came out okay and in one piece so why can't she? There's nothing to be afraid of...there's no way this kooky old lady could be any worse then the one in New York...right?  
  
"Come on in Miss Johnson. Oh, there's nothing to be TOO frightened about...I don't bite hard. Your boyfriend came out alive so will you if you don't get on my nerves. Sit down child and tell me your story now!" Mrs. Raker said, turning from a deceivingly nice old lady to the scary one Dicey feared she was...just her luck...  
  
Dicey nodded her head numbly as she sat in the stiff chair as Ephram had and looked at the lady, eyes wide with anticipation. She just wanted this to be over so she could be with Ephram again...hey, maybe they would send them home...that would be good...  
  
"Well, are you going to tell me or stare at me all day?" the old lady snarled, knocking Dicey back into the reality.  
  
"I'm, I'm sorry! Um, you see I uh was standing next Ephram and Nathan walked up and he didn't see me. He was um, jealous because I liked Eph more then I liked him and so he tried to hit Ephram but I knew that something was wrong so I was stepping out to tell him to go away when he hit me. Then Ephram got mad and they started fighting...and, that's it..." she said skittishly.  
  
Mrs. Raker nodded and continued wearing the same glare that had adorned her features since she called Nathan Miller into her office.  
  
"Thank you Miss Johnson for sharing your point of view on this issue. Go to the clinic where Mr. Brown and Mr. Miller will be getting fixed up. From there you three will be sent home because you three are suspended for the next week. I forgot to tell them so you better or you will be severely punished. Do I make myself clear?" she snarled.  
  
Dicey nodded and left. Leaving the office and that demon-woman gave Dicey a sense of pure bliss. Relief. Everything else good you could ever think of.  
  
She finally arrived at the clinic and walked in. It was quite a funny site. Ephram spread out on the little bed-thing you lay on while you're waiting to be taken home, a look of bored amusement as the nurse, Miss Shackleford, chased a screaming Nathan Miller around with bandages as he cries out in pain, "Please woman! Leave me alone! It huuuuurts! The alcohol hurts my little aaaarm!!! Nooooo!!! My noooose!!! It huuuurts! Leave me alone crazy woman!!!"  
  
Dicey began laughing as the football captain ran around like a headless chicken, screaming his head off like a small child.  
  
Ephram looked and smiled at her, relieved to see a friendly face as she sat down next to him, curling her legs up and hugging them to her chest. Miss Shackleford had yet to get to Ephram because she had been to busy trying to calm Nathan down ever since he got there.  
  
"What a baby." Dicey laughed. Ephram joined in as he sighed.  
  
"We're suspended." Dicey stated simply.  
  
Ephram looked up at her. Sure he had been expecting it but still...he was in big trouble when he got home...  
  
Nathan however, he froze in place and stared wide-eyed at the girl. Miss Shackleford stopped to breathe before approaching him to bandage him up. But he was too shocked to notice.  
  
"You...are joking...right?" he said meekly.  
  
"Nope...Mrs. Demon-Lady told me to tell you that we are now officially suspended...peachy, huh? My second day and I'm suspended...just great. It's all your fault you little-" Dicey ranted before she was cut off.  
  
"Dicey! Breathe! It's going to be okay! Chill out Dice...now, lets' all be civil and save our rants for elsewhere. How does that sound?" Ephram said sitting up, cutting her off before she had the chance to get them in deeper trouble.  
  
"I guess." She said scooting over to him laying her head on his shoulder.  
  
"Hmph." Nathan grunted in response. Then he realized the nurse and stalked over to the corner to be mad while she patched up Ephram.  
  
Miss Shackleford got ice for Ephram eyes, a wet towel for his lip and more ice packs for various bruises. Then she gave him some pain med. for any pain. Nathan complained because she wasn't as nice to him. Then she explained that he wouldn't let her help him so it would be hard to. Then he continued sulking as she sent them home, calling their parents to tell them their teenagers were on their way home.  
  
"My dad is going to kill me." Ephram and Dicey heard Nathan mumble under his breath as he walked slowly out of the building. His form seemed pretty bad as he sulked down the sidewalk.  
  
"We oughtta get home...I hope Jake makes it home okay." Ephram said, boarding his bike with Dicey in suite.  
  
"Yeah..." she muttered as she leaned on his shoulder again.  
  
They rode for a while in complete silence. There wasn't much to say. Other than they were in BIIIIG trouble now...Andy Brown most likely wouldn't be too supportive of their side of the story...great...juuuust great...  
  
Arriving at home, they were alone. Dr. Brown was on his way home from the clinic to meet them but hadn't arrived yet. They walked in and Ephram lay on the couch as Dicey lounged in a chair.  
  
Tem minutes later Dr. Andrew Brown walked in and sat on the other couch, looking at the two teenagers in question.  
  
"I know what happened but I don't understand why. Why did you have to get in a fight? Can't you just walk off? The kids in a town like this can't be too bad." He said sternly.  
  
"Because, DAD, he HIT Dicey! I'm not going to let some jock hit Dicey! No way! I'd rather be suspended!" Ephram yelled, sitting up.  
  
"Okay, I guess that's fair enough but...hmm...when are you two leaving Dicey?" Andy Brown said with a sigh.  
  
"A few days..." she said in a small voice. She hadn't told Ephram yet and she didn't want him mad at her. She wanted to stay but her parents wouldn't let her.  
  
"A few DAYS? But you would barely be here a week! This isn't fair dad! Why can't Dicey stay?" Ephram said, hurt evident in his voice.  
  
Ephram was hurt because life was finally going his way. He falls in love with Dicey and then BOOM, she's gone again. Just his luck...  
  
"Yeah...my parents wanted me home and Jake's don't want him traveling back alone...they said he could arrive alone in a small town but he was coming back with someone. They also never enrolled us here...we did...we weren't even supposed to stay a week or go to school but we did anyway. We're still enrolled in New York...it isn't fair." Dicey complained, struggling to stay in control of her emotions.  
  
"No, it freaking isn't!" Ephram shouted, walking upstairs a slamming the door.  
  
Dicey stood up without looking at Andy and walked to her room, restraining herself from slamming her door too. As angry as she was with her parents and life, she wouldn't slam Dr. B's doors...they weren't her doors to slam. She adored Dr. Brown, he was like a second father to her and she respected him, even when Ephram didn't.  
  
By the time Jake got home, neither Ephram nor Dicey had left their rooms since they entered. Jake questioned this and nodded in understanding when Dr. Brown explained to him the absence of his friends.  
  
Jake had known they wouldn't be happy when he noticed their liking of each other but he didn't think they would take it out on each other. Or maybe they weren't and they were just to frustrated to confide in each other...either is pretty bad.  
  
He grabbed something out of the fridge and went upstairs to his room. He passed their rooms and sighed. He also passed Delia's too see her in there looking at her ceiling, homework spread out on the bed. He smiled slightly and walked into his room to do his homework as well. He just hoped Dicey and Ephram worked out their problem.  
  
Ephram sighed slightly as he lay sprawled out on his bed. He wasn't crying or throwing anything, he was just thinking how unfair life was...first his mom dies and he is dragged out here. Then the only decent person in the city is supposedly using him to cure her comatose boyfriend. Then Dicey gets here and thing s brighten up just to crash down when he realizes she had to leave. Why?  
  
He rolled to the edge of the bed. He had to talk to her. What if she thought he was mad at her? He couldn't bear for her to be mad at him. This was Dicey and he couldn't let her think it was her fault. HE would go talk to her now. It was 8:00 and neither of them had spoken to each other. He had to change that...now. He got up and walked to his door  
  
Meanwhile, Dicey sat in the chair by her desk, looking at the TV and VCR. It reminded her of the night before when they all stayed up and had a good time. It seemed like it had been forever since then. She got here and now she leaves. She didn't think it would hurt so much to leave a small mountain town...no, it wasn't the town she was leaving...it was Ephram. He had been abandoned once and she hated herself for doing it again. She had to apologize.  
  
She got up and opened the door. When she saw Ephram walking towards her, she almost yelped. They almost bumped into each other but when they noticed the other was there, they just stared for a second.  
  
Ephram leaned out and embraced her in a hug and she accepted.  
  
"I'm sorry for getting mad Dicey. I guess I just was upset that you had to leave. I knew you would and you weren't staying forever but I guess I hadn't truly made the connection in my mind tat you were really going." He said softly, really hoping that she wasn't mad with him.  
  
"Don't be, it's not your fault. I mean, c'mon, it's not like this is the most fun life in the world for you. I would've hated it if you weren't here. So let's just enjoy the days while they last and call it even, okay Brown?" she aid playfully, laying her head on his chest.  
  
"Okay Johnson. I don't know about you but I'm starving!" he said, breaking the hug as they both raced down the stairs to fill their complaining stomachs with food.  
  
After finding none, of course, they headed oust to the Diner. They were going to enjoy Dicey last few days in Everwood and would squander them with his father's cooking. They were eating good! And they were suspended to so no school! Life was good.  
  
  
  
Okay, I hope Ephram wasn't too out of character...I'm trying here...I'm sorry to make her leave but don't worry, I still have plenty more chapters to go...life lives on beyond this town I assure you so don't worry! This isn't the end yet! ^_^ Anyway, hope you enjoyed it and toodles! ^_~ 


	11. A Final Goodbye aka I'm Leaving on a Big...

---IMPORTANT--- Okay, I may not update as much. I'm starting to write a Star Wars fic...blame Liz! Bad Liz! Lol...she started my love for Star Wars! *hugs Liz* I will not by any means abandon this story, no no! I just may not update as much...that's all... -----------------------  
  
Ditey- I don't know what I'd do without ya girl! Thanks for reviewing! You keep me going! ^_^ Good, I'm glad he isn't...^_^ Yeah, but there's a purpose for everything...even if I didn't know it yet when I planned it...I had no clue how it would fit in but it did without my consent...it just came to me...heh...that's how quite a bit of this story came to be...lol...yes, she scares me and I created her...lol...thanks...yes he is...it's fun to somewhat break the tension...lol...yes you are...*sniff*poor Ditey...*pats Ditey on the head* Here, have a cookie!  
  
Liz- Aw! How sweet! ^_^ Okay.  
  
Shelly- Thanks for reviewin' Shelly! Yeah, no kidding. Lol, thanks! I'm too lazy to write a longer reply...it's okay, the site hasn't been working for me either...lol...Wow, thankies! ^_^ Wow, glad the principal is scary! I like making evil teachers...lol...I'm glad you think so. I wans't planning on giving him a part but it just turned out that way. I'm glad you found it funny! Thanks! ^_^ Lol, it's okay.  
  
Betty- Okay, good. I was worried about him being OOC...thanks!  
  
ChibiJenn- lol...*pokes back* Lol...thanks...you SHALL remember! ...you switched channels eh? *eye twitches* BAAAD! Joe Millionaire will never be as good as Everwood...*pouts* lol...  
  
The Riff- You're very welcome! ^_^  
  
Catnip- Okay.  
  
Disclaimer- *looks at scary lawyers* I don't own Everwood or it's characters...I only one the ones I created and aren't in the regular show! Here, have a cookie. *lawyers look at cookie, eat a bite of cookie, and go back to their offices to have coffee with cookie* Whew...there...they're gone...  
  
Dedicated to: Ditey, my only reviewer for the last two chapters! Love ya! Shelly, for having one of the best stories and for you and Ditey offering me a place in the collaboration story! I'm honored! ^_^ And Liz, for being like a big sister to me! * sniff* I love you guys! Anyway...*sniff* ...that's all for now...  
  
-Chapter 11-  
  
Days passed as Ephram and Dicey enjoyed their last times together. They went to the park numerous times, they visited Denver once to humor Dicey. They watched movies in one of Everwood's old movie theaters. They went to the Diner; they sat and watched in bored spirits as the clocked ticked by, waiting for Dr. Brown to get home from work. They found pleasure in laughing at the people who were still in school when they weren't.  
  
Eventually, the day came...it was time for them to leave.  
  
Jake got up and got dressed and waited in the hall. As much as he would miss Ephram, he wouldn't be in half as much pain as Dicey due to her newly formed emotional bonds.  
  
Dicey, however was sitting on her bed, staring outside at the birds flying around. She had had a great time in Everwood and didn't want to go back to New York. At least not with Ephram still here. She couldn't even tell anyone about it because Krista might take it the wrong way and think I was abandoning her...wait, or would she? Will she care if her best friend went out with her old boyfriend? The one she still likes? Isn't that like some unwritten rule of what NOT to do? Uh oh...not good.  
  
Dicey's gaze snapped to the door as she heard it open. She looked to the intruder and smiled. It was Ephram.  
  
"Hey Eph," she said, turning her whole body to face him. She was clad in baggy purple-ish black jeans, a bright red shirt that said "Hottie" and a sideways black baseball cap with green sneakers, her hair down and slightly messy.  
  
He grinned because even after all the time he's known Dicey, he rarely sees her in the same outfit twice. She mixes them up and buys new shoes. The green sneakers were new; they had bought them in Denver one their trip a few days earlier. They were so typically Dicey.  
  
"You never cease to amaze me Dice." He said playfully as he sat down and gave her a peck on the forehead.  
  
"Why thank you Ephram." She said, leaning on him and staring at the bare room, thinking about how messy it had been. About how this had been her room for a week and now she had to go again. It wasn't fair. It was actually kind of nice here when you have people to talk to.  
  
She studied him for the last time in Everwood. She took it all in because she didn't know how long it would be till she saw him again.  
  
He was wearing his Ranma ½ t-shirt with a pair of baggy blue jeans. His purple hair unbrushed and his normal sneakers on his feet. He was leaning back looking around at her room.  
  
"It looks as if you were never here." He said quietly, examining every corner of the room and the bags that lay by the side of her empty yet not unoccupied bed.  
  
"I know...kind of scary if you ask me...it looks so...clean...and empty too..." she said back, joining him in looking around.  
  
~It's so plain...man...this majorly stinks...it is NOT fair...it's sad to say but I don't really want to leave...sure Ephram says it so horrible but not even he can complain whenever Jake and I are here...~ she thought with a sigh.  
  
"Ephram! Dicey! Jake! C'mon! We're getting in the car!" they heard Dr. Brown's voice shout from downstairs.  
  
"Looks like we better go down there, doesn't it?" Ephram said as he stood up from the bed and pulled Dicey up. She wouldn't stand up.  
  
"C'mon Dicey! We have to get downstairs." He said, trying to pull her but as soon as he got he off the bed, she was clinging to the leg of the bed.  
  
"NO!" she whined childishly, hugging the leg of the bed tightly.  
  
"C'mon Dice, we're kind of on a time schedule! I would give anything to go back to New York and you refuse to?" he asked, giving up and sitting next to her on the ground.  
  
She let go of the bed and sat up next to him. "You see, there's a difference. I want to stay here with you so I don't want to go. I would rather spend my life in Everwood with you and than in New York City without you." She said, hugging her legs to her chest.  
  
He nodded slightly. "Don't worry Dicey. You just go on to New York and don't worry about it. I have a plan that will keep us all happy. Now let's go on downstairs and get you and Jake back home, okay?" he said persuasively as she gave in and followed him down the stairs and to the living room where Jake, Dr. Brown and Delia were waiting patiently.  
  
"There, now Delia, I know you want to go but you need to stay at Nina's while we're gone, okay?" Dr. Brown said to Delia, resulting in a pout form the ten-year-old girl.  
  
"But daddy! I wanna see them off!' she complained.  
  
"I know sweetheart but we're trying to keep the number of passengers down and Nina offered to watch you. She said they we're going for ice cream..." he said, looking away with a smile, knowing it would get Delia.  
  
"Really? Okay...but can I at least say goodbye?" she asked, agreeing that ice cream would be good.  
  
"Of course Delia! Go on and say goodbye." He said.  
  
Delia ran over and gave Dicey a big hug. Dicey returned the hug and rocked the younger girl back and forth slightly.  
  
"I'm going to miss you Dicey! You have to come back and visit, okay?" Delia said when they broke the hug.  
  
"Of course Del! I wouldn't miss it for the world. Be good for Nina, okay?" she said, almost earning a "hey, that's my line" from Dr. Brown but he held it back, knowing it meant more coming from the teenage girl than him anyway.  
  
"Okay!" she said, then walking over to Jake.  
  
"Bye Jake." She said with a smile.  
  
"See ya kiddo. Oh, and don't blow anything up or set anything on fire while I'm gone...I wouldn't want to miss it." He said seriously before he cracked a smile at the end.  
  
"Don't worry, I won't. I could never forgive myself for leaving the pyromaniac twins out of it." She said earning exchanged grins form Ephram and Jake.  
  
"That's a good girl." He said, applauding her answer.  
  
"Okay then, off to Nina's Delia. I'll see you when we get back. Bye." He said, watching his little girl walk over to the next-door neighbor's house.  
  
"Okay. Bye daddy! Bye Ephram! Bye Jake! Bye Dicey!" she said as she ran over to Nina's house.  
  
The blonde woman watched her approach and smiled at Andy Brown as he watched her go.  
  
"Don't worry Doctor, she'll be okay!" Nina yelled over to the father as he started smiling.  
  
"Okay Nina! And Delia, have fun!" he said one last time as he watched her nod as they two walked inside.  
  
Dr. Brown, Ephram, Dicey and Jake made their way into the car. Jake sat in the front while Dicey and Ephram sat in the back seat. In any normal situation Ephram would be in the front but then again, this is no normal situation.  
  
After driving for awhile, Jake got a little annoyed with the 'love birds' in the back so he voice his opinion.  
  
"Hey, brake it up! Can't you save the "Tongue Wars: Attack of the Lovesick-I'll-Miss-You-So-Muchness" for later? Like, maybe for when I'm not here?" he asked, turning back there.  
  
"Don't make me come back there..." he said, glaring at them.  
  
They broke of the kiss and the grinned. "But now is later, isn't it?" Ephram asked.  
  
"No, Moz, LATER is later...now is now." Jake explained.  
  
"No, because you said it then and time has passed so therefore, now is later because it isn't then and if it isn't then, it is later...or...wait...yeah!" Ephram retorted, leaving himself utterly confused but he went on anyway.  
  
"Eh...or how about I just turn back around." Jake said, his brain trying to process all the words and failing miserably.  
  
"That sounds good to me." Dicey said, smiling sweetly as Jake turned back forward to look out the front seat window.  
  
"I've learned to ignore it by now. I just keep my eyes on the road and all is good." Andrew Brown said, driving.  
  
"You'd think I would have by now." Jake said, placing his elbows on his knees, resting is head in his fingers.  
  
The drive to Denver seemed like it was taking forever for Jake. It wasn't that he didn't miss Ephram at all it's just one can only take so much lovey-dovey stuff...it was making him sick to the stomach.  
  
It was around lunchtime so Dr. Brown stopped by a McDonalds, everyone ordered to go, and they were on their way again. They were about 20 minutes from the Denver airport and a question popped into Ephram's mind.  
  
"Hey dad, how could you have gotten Dicey and Jake to our house if they arrived in Denver?" he asked his driving father.  
  
"Well Ephram, I picked Jake up while you where at school with Dicey and Dicey for that one "house call" before they arrived. I didn't mean to lie about it but I wanted to surprise you." Dr. Brown said with a grin.  
  
"But...how did I not notice Dicey while she was there? WAS she there?" Ephram asked, very confused.  
  
"Yes, she was there. But remember, you were to mad at me for the house call that you went straight to your room and didn't come out. Then you woke up late so I got Nina to drop her off. I was worried that you would run across her before morning but I figured you were too mad." Dr. Brown finished.  
  
"You really thought this through..." Ephram said, looking into the front seat then at Dicey.  
  
"Yeah, you could say that. We've been plotting behind your back for a long time Ephram. We had more than enough time." Dicey said, leaning on his shoulder.  
  
Soon enough, they were walking into Denver airport, dragging luggage around. They waited in long lines to get to luggage check, the Saturday bustle swarming around them.  
  
They soon enough got though the luggage line and were on their way to the waiting area for the planes.  
  
"Man...I hope it hurries already..."Jake said, looking out the window to avoid watching Ephram and Dicey...again...  
  
He sighed and watched the planes fly off into the September horizon. He had broken it off with his girlfriend long ago...months ago...but he still missed her. He missed having someone to hold when they're sad...someone to hold him when he was depressed...  
  
~Ephram has it easy...they all flock to him but no, they can't like me...it's against the rules...~ he thought bitterly.  
  
He shook his head to clear that thought. ~What am I thinking? He's my best friend and he doesn't have it easy. He was uprooted to Everwood...the place I'm leaving now...but he has to stay...he has to watch his girlfriend leave...I guess the green monster of jealousy is coming out again...I seriously need a girlfriend...~  
  
Jake stood up when he heard their flight number being called and walked over to the boarding area.  
  
"Whoa Jake, slow down." Ephram said as he and Dicey got up.  
  
Dr. Brown stayed sitting however. He would let his son say goodbye to his friends in peace.  
  
Jake slowed down a bit but not enough.  
  
"What's your problem man? Slow down! Rushing won't get you to New York any faster. As much as I want to come, I can't so at least give me your precious time until you board." Ephram yelled to Jake, the people flooding back and forth in between them not helping a bit.  
  
"Excuse us, hey eh, please let us through...arrrggg...GET OUT OF MY WAY!" Ephram yelled, the people never ceasing to let them though.  
  
"This is so frustrating..." Ephram muttered. Dicey held his held and told him to calm down that if they had to run through, knocking people down they would catch up with Jake.  
  
The pair started making their way slowly through the mob of people to the gate for New York.  
  
"What's wrong with Jake?" Ephram asked, hoping Dicey knew something he didn't.  
  
"I'm not sure...he seems upset and obsessed with getting home..." she said, cutting their way through the last group of people. They finally caught up to him.  
  
"Hey Jake! Why didn't you wait?" Dicey said, out of breath.  
  
"Sorry. Look we're boarding. See you on the plane Dicey. See you later Ephram!" Jake said, boarding the plane alone.  
  
"Something's eating at him Eph...I'll talk to him on the plane...I may not be able to tell you because of the circumstance but I could call or something once we get home if I find out. Bye Ephram Brown! I'll miss you so much..." she said as she embraced him.  
  
They stood like that for a minute before Ephram gave her a soft kiss and sent her on her way.  
  
"Bye Dicey! Have a nice flight." He said just loud enough for her to hear him.  
  
"Bye Ephram." She said, blowing him a kiss then boarding them plane, a depressed face adorning her previously love-struck excitement.  
  
Ephram watched her go, just staring at her retreating form.  
  
"Excuse me sir, could you please move? The other passengers would like to get on the plane now." Said a young flight attendant.  
  
"Um, yes ma'am." He said back to her, moving out of the way.  
  
After taking one last look at the plane Dicey had left to, he sighed and made his way back to his waiting father.  
  
"Are you ready to go home Ephram?" Dr. Andrew Brown said, standing up.  
  
"No, not yet. I um, have to go to the bathroom." He said, walking off. Little did Dr. Brown know that where his son was going was anything but the bathroom.  
  
He arrived at the large gray counter and walked up to the man sitting there.  
  
"A one-way ticket to New York City please."  
  
  
  
Ooooo! Did you expect that? Hm? Hm? Eh...yeah, anyway...you'll have to find out what happens next time, won't ya? I hope it wasn't too predictable...but this again, isn't near the end so have no fear! ^_^ I have it aaaall planned out...well...almost at least...yeah, anyway...review! Toodles! 


End file.
